VENICE BRIDGE
For a painting
Away back in an old city
I saw a bridge.
That bridge belonged to Venice.
It was to the rainbow clear
It traveled,
Over an old canal.
You had to pass a cloudy gate
To reach the color . . .
Bridges do sometimes begin on the earth
And end in the sky.
NIGHT GOES RUSHING BY
Night goes hurrying over
Like sweeping clouds;
The birds are nested; their song is silent.
The wind says oo--oo--oo--through the trees
For their lullaby.
The moon shines down on the sleeping birds.
My cottage roof is like a sheet of silk
Spun like a cobweb.
My apple-trees are bare as the oaks in the forest;
When the moon shines
I see no leaves.
I am alone and very quiet
Hoping the moon may say something
Before long.
DANDELION
O little soldier with the golden helmet,
What are you guarding on my lawn?
You with your green gun
And your yellow beard,
Why do you stand so stiff?
There is only the grass to fight!
IF I COULD TELL YOU THE WAY
Down through the forest to the river
I wander.
There are swans flying,
Swans on the water,
Duck, wild birds.
Fairies live here;
They know no sorrow.
Birds, winds,
They are the only people.
If I could tell you the way to this place,
You would sell your house and your land
For silver or a little gold,
You would sail up the river,
Tie your boat to the Black Stone,
Build a leaf-hut, make a twig-fire,
Gather mushrooms, drink spring-water,
Live alone and sing to yourself
For a year and a year and a year!
ROSE-PETAL
Petal with rosy cheeks,
Petal with thoughts of your own,
Petal of my crimson-white flower out of June,
Little petal of my heart!
POEMS
See the fur coats go by!
The morning is like the inside of a snow-apple.
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