upon a handful of sand
the fool made his stand
and proclaimed his domain
deaf to wiser men who plead
that he abandon his stead
all entreaties were in vain
until came the tide
until came the rain
that washed away his bed,
dousing his stubborn
no-longer-disbelieving
hot little head
Once, I craved
the tartness of raspberries
and drowned myself
in operatic arias
I stepped twice
on cobblestones
to hear the echo
of my heels
The scent of lavender
brought me, again
to spring
though the flowers crumbled
in my fingers
I lived winter in ignorance.
If a magician charms a child, he is good
But if he insists in magic for an adult
Then he branded a fool and a liar
Wonder, hope, and belief —
That is the happiness we deny ourselves
In a book, a few hours encompass a lifetime
And the wisdom gained therein seeps
Like rain into soil
Forgotten and subtle, it may yet feed:
A seedling
A tree
A blossom and fruit
RED GLADIOLA 