Sunrise at Shap Summit

Gubbinal - Wallace Stevens

That strange flower, the sun,
Is just what you say.
Have it your way.

The world is ugly,
And the people are sad.

That tuft of jungle feathers,
That animal eye,
Is just what you say.

That savage of fire,
That seed,
Have it your way.

The world is ugly,
And the people are sad.


It was a spectacular sunrise as I drove to work. The rest of the day was spent freezing cold in the attic room of a building that hadn't had any heat on over the Christmas break.