Thresholds

i.m. William Jeffrey (1896-1946), Margaret Jeffrey (1898-1990)

Two motes of something float
Down in sunlight, seed floating sidie-
Ways, (drawing your eyes to the lip,
The sill,
That lambent filament of flesh edging
Cornea and rim and lid),
A wisp of threshed corn.

The heat's ignition cuts
Out: breath baited
In the 'tick tick tick'
Of our Summer train
Marking time in Arrochar Station.

Definitions, roots of the word
'Threshold' bud in our warm
Carriage-bath
With its 'freshwood' doorway
To the corridor beyond.
...