By the Sound

Dawn rolled up slowly what the night unwound
And gulls shrieked violently just out of sight.
In those days I was living by the sound.

The silent water heard the light resound
From all its wriggling mirrors, as the bright
Dawn rolled up slowly what the night unwound.

Each morning had a riddle to expound;
The wrong winds would blow leftward to the right,
In those days I was living by the sound:

The dinghies sank, the large craft ran aground,
Desire leapt overboard, perhaps in fright.
Dawn rolled up slowly what the night unwound.

But seldom, in the morning’s lost-and-found
Would something turn up that was free of blight.
In those days I was living by the sound

The sky contrived, whose water lay around
The place where I was dreaming by the light
(Dawn rolled up slowly) what the night unwound
In those days. I was living by the sound.