New Year's Eve Midnight Gabriel Okara

New Year's Eve Midnight 

By

Gabriel Okara

Now the bells are tolling-

A year is dead.

And my heart is slowly beating 

the Nunc Dimittis 

to all my hopes and mute

yearnings of a year

and ghosts hover round 

dream beyond dream

Dream beyond dream 

mingling with the dying 

bell-sounds fading 

into memories 

like rain drops 

falling into a river.

And now the bells are chiming-

A year is born.

And my heart-bell is ringing 

in a dawn.

But it's shrouded things I see

dimly stride

on heart-canopied paths 

to a riverside.