Pause For Poetry:
Michael Hawkes /95

No Tears Tonight

September 15, 2025

A poem by Michael Hawkes

What savoury tears should I shed tonight,
Of all the flavours awash in the sea,
Crocodilian tears of hypocrisy,
Heartfelt tears of sympathy
Or those unquenchable tears of fright?

On this special occasion, which would be right?
As amphibians can frighten me,
And I’m often made to feel at sea
Though I can be consoled by tranquillity
In the moon’s seductive light.

So rather than woe, I wed the moon
And bathe in the glow of etheric light,
I feel the flowing dissipate
And swooning, watch the tides abate
To find no cause to cry tonight,
No jetsam on the shore tonight.

7/10/22

Feature image: Александр Максин – Pexels

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Michael Hawkes - WestmountMag.ca

Michael Hawkes was a cherished poet and contributor whose work enriched the pages of WestmountMag.ca with its sensitivity and depth. Over the years, he entrusted us with a rich body of poems, of which only a portion has yet been published. His passing leaves a profound void, but the poems still to come will continue inspire all who were moved by his voice.