Artwork for podcast The Voice of Dog
“Rest Less”, a poem by Rob MacWolf
Bonus Episode16th December 2020 • The Voice of Dog • Rob MacWolf and guests
00:00:00 00:03:06

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Today I’m reading a poem written by Rob MacWolf, who has actually once been struck by lightning. 

Cold clouds coiling around the pregnant moon.

Night is calling to me. It is rising. It is soon.

Secret scents nocturnal up are swelling, and above

The moon rolls like a mirror of the face of her I love.

I will not go outside tonight, will nor unbar the door.

Much as I love the moon above I love my pillow more.

Dusk depths deepen, but my quilt is just as deep.

Tonight will I lie warm beneath the secret seal of sleep.

Long yards yearning as the night wears on:

A room becomes a furlong after the light is gone.

Strong ways winding on familiar hills

All still to be discovered. When the fire chills

The ashes seem the silver streak across the open plain

When green is gone and blue is gone and black and white remain.

Sweet grass sweating out a liquid cold.

Close clothes fretting, but my will will hold.

Though out upon the mountains I have gone questing oft,

My eyes are very weary and my bed is very soft.

The midnight wind is bracing as a wine of molten red:

I have no need of either. I am already in bed.

Silence sits as even as summer sifted sand,

Peace, forgetfulness, and bliss are all within my hand,

When drifts a wandering whistle across the fluid night,

Its tone is very heavy, its voice is very light.

It carries, calls, and choruses from engine cloud to me.

It rings the glassy silver rails that lead down to the sea.

It howls and harmonizes with the songs of yesterday

That also echoed off the moon. And sleep is far away.

The train is gone, the whistle fades. She will have heard it too.

I am already doing it: I know what I must do.

Tall trees rustling as I unlock the door

Where every night I thrill to think I may return no more.

Wild wind whispers of the wildest paths we trod

Where in moonshadows darkly we may see the face of God.

Brisk breeze bracing on my heavy hanging tongue.

Sward is soft between my toes, the blades are new and young.

Scant breath skitters across my shivering skin.

The leaves smell sweet around me and savory within.

Cold clouds clearing as the moon sails on.

It lights the open threshold, I am already gone.

Wind wakes wildly and ruffles up my fur:

I think I’ll go outside tonight, and take a walk with her.

Transcripts

Speaker:

You’re listening to the Voice of Dog. I’m Khaki, your faithful fireside companion,

Speaker:

and Today I’m reading a poem written by Rob MacWolf,

Speaker:

who has actually once been struck by lightning.

Please enjoy:

“Rest Less”, a peom by Rob MacWolf

Please enjoy:

Cold clouds coiling around the pregnant moon.

Please enjoy:

Night is calling to me.

Please enjoy:

It is rising. It is soon.

Please enjoy:

Secret scents nocturnal up are swelling, and above

Please enjoy:

The moon rolls like a mirror

Please enjoy:

of the face of her I love.

Please enjoy:

I will not go outside tonight, will nor unbar the door.

Please enjoy:

Much as I love the moon above

Please enjoy:

I love my pillow more.

Please enjoy:

Dusk depths deepen,

Please enjoy:

but my quilt is just as deep.

Please enjoy:

Tonight will I lie warm

Please enjoy:

beneath the secret seal of sleep.

Please enjoy:

Long yards yearning

Please enjoy:

as the night wears on:

Please enjoy:

A room becomes a furlong after the light is gone.

Please enjoy:

Strong ways winding on familiar hills

Please enjoy:

All still to be discovered.

Please enjoy:

When the fire chills

Please enjoy:

The ashes seem the silver streak

Please enjoy:

across the open plain

Please enjoy:

When green is gone and blue is gone and black and white remain.

Please enjoy:

Sweet grass sweating out a liquid cold.

Please enjoy:

Close clothes fretting,

Please enjoy:

but my will will hold. Though

Please enjoy:

out upon the mountains I have gone questing oft,

Please enjoy:

My eyes are very weary and my bed is very soft.

Please enjoy:

The midnight wind is bracing

Please enjoy:

as a wine of molten red:

Please enjoy:

I have no need of either.

Please enjoy:

I am already in bed.

Please enjoy:

Silence sits as even as summer sifted sand,

Please enjoy:

Peace, forgetfulness, and bliss are all within my hand,

Please enjoy:

When drifts a wandering whistle

Please enjoy:

across the fluid night,

Please enjoy:

Its tone is very heavy,

Please enjoy:

its voice is very light.

Please enjoy:

It carries, calls, and choruses from engine cloud to me.

Please enjoy:

It rings the glassy silver rails that lead down to the sea.

Please enjoy:

It howls and harmonizes with the songs of yesterday That also echoed off the moon.

Please enjoy:

And sleep is far away.

Please enjoy:

The train is gone, the whistle fades.

Please enjoy:

She will have heard it too.

Please enjoy:

I am already doing it:

Please enjoy:

I know what I must do.

Please enjoy:

Tall trees rustling

Please enjoy:

as I unlock the door

Please enjoy:

Where every night I thrill to think

Please enjoy:

I may return no more.

Please enjoy:

Wild wind whispers of the wildest paths we trod

Please enjoy:

Where in moonshadows darkly we may see the face of God.

Please enjoy:

Brisk breeze bracing on my heavy

Please enjoy:

hanging tongue. Sward is soft between my toes,

Please enjoy:

the blades are new and young.

Please enjoy:

Scant breath skitters across my shivering skin.

Please enjoy:

The leaves smell sweet around me

Please enjoy:

and savory within.

Please enjoy:

Cold clouds clearing

Please enjoy:

as the moon sails on.

Please enjoy:

It lights the open threshold,

Please enjoy:

I am already gone.

Please enjoy:

Wind wakes wildly

Please enjoy:

and ruffles up my fur:

Please enjoy:

I think I’ll go outside tonight,

Please enjoy:

and take a walk with her.

Please enjoy:

Thank you for listening

Please enjoy:

to The Voice of Dog.

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