Speed Of Dark Poem by gershon hepner

Nothing’s faster than the speed of light
except the speed of dark,
and nothing can be louder in the night
than dogs that do not bark.

Nothing’s ever darker than a tunnel
with light at neither end,
and though you put a filter into funnels,
they cannot strain a friend.

Nothing’s ever brighter than the moment
that follows work well done,
when it is followed by a friendly comment,
praise worthy to be won.


William Safire, who died on September 27,2009 (Erev Yom Kippur,5770) , discusses the words gruntled, kempt and couth in The New York Times Magazine, February 14,1999. He asks: “So what's the speed of dark? ”

I added the third quatrain on the day I heard of his death.

2/15/99,9/27/09