Night or day
In my stumbledrunkeness, sodden,
Swollen loneness; ambling ahead
A relic in the distance swayed.
A man out of time asked the time.
His accent old, rural, fossil voiced.
Pipe-lipped he sucked, blew out words
With the polite reserve of ages past
"Night or day?" said he. I struggled
To grasp meaning with both ears.
Apology rendered, again he said
"Night or day?" "I have no idea"
I told him, half in joking, but
Half in despair, not knowing
If the glass was empty or full.
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