Atrabilis

They called it black bile.
A humour that darkened blood.
Quiet in a crowd.

It is not anger.
It is not quite grief, just low.
Stays through November.

Learned its Latin name.
Slowly, like a river name.
I already knew.

Dark ink in a well.
Evening comes too early.
Atrabilis, still.

The song ends early.
Before it finds its chorus.
Quiet after it.