Melancholia

An abhorrence of the sun and sky
That calmly watch as all things die
A turning from the cold and heat
No place on earth to find retreat
Cautious in the day
Fearful in the night
A hardship to stay
A terror to take flight

Your beloved is hidden
An anchoress for an unknown god
Emails, phone messages, sent
Words upon words
An altar of words
With offerings of love
Through language, voice, inflection
But no gesture
Not even a face
Seen through a cloister gate

What started as a small cloud
Became a storm
Wind and rain lashing
The house from the roof
To the foundation

With the smallest things
Can tempests come
To test if a house will stand