Paintings

They had waited all day long

Until, finally, the last little

Twinkling museum display light shut off

And then the walls came alive-

All the swirling colors pouring out of the frames-

Young girls with pinafores and bows in their hair

And young boys with knickers and bouncy balls

And beaming ladies in purple hats with little dogs

And fine old gentlemen with ancient cars

And, of course, all of those famously unheard-of royals

With their lace collars askew

And their heavy carpet-gowns catching on the sills

As they climbed down

Looking really quite undignified and happy for all their stately getup

One of the newsboys cried, "Hullo, everyone! There's a new display upstairs!

I heard from the Madonna's nephew that they're Modern Grecians!

Shouldn't we give them a jolly good welcome?"

And a sailor cried, "Let's!"

And the old men crinkled their mustaches into grins.

And the royals nodded in happy condescension.

And the ladies smiled their agreement.

And the little girls clapped in excitement.

So they danced away upstairs-

A mass of gleaming colors and lights and emotions-

And the guard who saw them almost laughed aloud

And didn't tell anyone-

At least, until now!

The Sandpiper

Oh sandpiper,

Scuttling on the sandy shore,

Would you pause your piping-

leave to peace the little green crabs? 

Oh sandpiper,

With what inquisitive gaze you fix me!

As if you know I do not belong,

Here among the marshy grasses.

Oh sandpiper,

Little one who welcomes me,

I, a land-person, here-

to come aboard your wave-tossed shore!

Oh sandpiper,

Would you teach me the secrets of the seas?

I long to hear the corals singing,

Listening to the ocean breeze.

Oh sandpiper,

Flap your wings- I fly no more-

Would you please remind me-

How is it to live in freedom?

Autumn

In autumn-tide I walked a trail

Of leaves fresh from a fall-

Some chilling gust of winter's gale

Had plucked them one and all.

And there they shivered on the grass-

The grass turned white with frost-

Surprised to see that spring had passed,

 And summer's glory lost.

 Like flecks of sunlight from the sky-

In gold and orange and red-

They lay remembering the heights,

Where treetops toss their heads.

So scattered by the wind and rain

These jewels of autumn lie-

They watch the harvesting moon wane

And speak of passing time.

Seeing the Woods by Starlight

She had fair hair that shone-

Back from her shoulders lifted a mane restless.

 It let the wind rush through

And carried the snow to me.

 She had dark eyes that glowed-

The night of the stars inside of pine warmness.

 They breathed the breath of winter

And carried the trees to me.

She had a laugh that rang-

Echoing through space like bells on a harness

It filled the empty night

And carried the stars to me. 

I Have Known a Meadow Rolling

I have known a meadow rolling

Where the wind flies through the wheat

Stately pines in feathered splendor

Bow before the sunlight's feet

I have seen a night sky dancing

Where the mother moon glows sweet

Twinkling stars around her chatter

Then in sapphire stillness sleep

I have walked a stream bed singing

Where the sky and soft waves meet

Deep-hued fish dance in the water

Telling tales of far-off seas

I have walked that seashore singing,

I have wandered with the wind,

I have journeyed far and farther-

But your love I keep within.