Dawn Upon the Gulf of Anadyr

After such long dark
          we greet left-facing moon
          resting on a gravel
                    at the end of Arctic.

          And the saffron heralds
                    of this dawn
                    burning round ice rim
                    beyond zebra-folded
                                                  Siberian ranges.

We're heading East past Anadyr
                    crossing back to yesterday
          upon vast shelf of hardened sea
                    green against grey.
          It's cracking up
                    from May's embers
          it's rolling open for a fetch
                    as molten iron
                    climbs upon the barrens,
                    burning mound that
                    leaves violet marks in
                    my retinas.

One hundred thousand cloud cocoons
                    spilling South from
          these lead cliffs of Uelen.