5 o’clock shadow

cattails in long grass near Clearwater with jellyfish
and sand shark to keep sunbathers at bay
the moon luminous with his
5 o’clock shadow dances
resistant some distance pales some stardust streaks
clouds covering the sky where black
holes are bitter
if only to bathe the bottomless pit of night
cascading endlessly no dawn to
light his way no music that
he may sleep
except for the heartbeat heard
his Higher Power
placing him there
to think about it.