Gift of Nature

¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ I loved you.
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦

I gave you ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦
bed of earth, blanket of blue air--

As I get further away ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦
I see ¦¦¦ more clearly.
¦¦¦¦ souls should have been immense ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦
not what they are,
¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦

I gave you ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦
blue of the spring morning,
¦¦¦¦ you didn't know ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦
you wanted more, the one gift
reserved for another ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦

¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦
you will ¦¦¦ find ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ in the garden,
among the growing plants.
¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦

¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ the bird's flight
¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦
which begins ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ echoing
¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ from the white birch
to the apple tree.


(Blackout of Retreating Wind by Louise Gluck)