and I'll recall

oh chant to me those ancient runes brimmed lands lost, long, to ices soft, sorrowed songs of gilded tombs their freeze and ventured vices those sainted souls that gods left doomed drowned deep midst their devices and I'll recall with tenderness the sapphire skies of home ... oh whisper me of petals, crushed with Spring's too eager melting the careful creep of hoarfrost, hushed by wise blooms' wint'ry welting and bounties of a bosom, blushed with May's weep, sprightly pelting and I'll recall with tenderness the greening grass of home … oh breathe a song upon the breeze of adventures, plucked and dreamed brave sailors sundered to the seas or grand galleons, gold and gleamed the tallest tales one fool could tease from a moon, festooned and beamed and I'll recall with tenderness the golden shores of home oh hearken, should the wind resound with sweet songs none have heard that tell of hearts and fates, so found through the darkness, undeterred sad music of those glory-bound that we've grieved without a word and I'll recall with tenderness the beautied cheek of home ... the sapphire, greening golden, preening beautied cheek … of home. Copyright © Gregory Richard Barden, September 23, 2022