Night-Piece
I saw within the shadows of the yard the shed
and saw the snow upon its roof—
an oblong glowing in the moonlit night.
I could not rest or close my eyes,
although I knew that I must rise
early next morning and begin my work again,
and begin my work again.
That day was lost—that month as well;
and year and year for all that I can tell.
Copyright Credit: From The Poems of Charles Reznikoff by Charles Reznikoff, edited by Seamus Cooney. Reprinted by permission of Black Sparrow Books, an imprint of David R. Godine, Publisher, Inc. Copyright 2005 by Charles Reznikoff.
Source: Poems 1918-1975: The Complete Poems of Charles Reznikoff (Black Sparrow Press, 1977)