Petal falling followed falling petal Till all apple trees held was sky above; Such a burst of sweetness discharged from air Put mind out of reckoning for its cares. 5 We walked laughing through the snowing grove Whirling the fallen in splashes back up, Widening soft confusions in our wake, Chapleted in blossoms that all spring throve, Like trees ourselves glowing with tree-petals.- 10 Earth and air to a fantastic whiteness blown, Shining as puddles from yesterday's shower. Yet trees, for all their loss, did not look to be sad. To rely on having is to be had. New leaves yattering new green to new leaves 15 Talked for all the world about the breeze, As if blossoms had kept them quieted as snow And, having shaken off their winter calm to play, They did not know what to say or know And so said everything in a single day. 20 Evening found them standing solemn with the stars Thinking how little they were themselves Beneath bright things hung up so far. Starlight cast down starlight like sky decayed. All the night orchard stood restored to blaze 25 As if no single petal of them all Had suffered earthward a single fall.
From the collection "The Timid Leaper"
Written by Gregg Glory [Gregg G. Brown]
More information available on gregglory.com.