Two Twilights

<SPAN name="chap023"></SPAN> <h3> AMETHYSTS </h3> <p class="poem"> Not the green eaves of our young woods alone<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Shelter new violets, by the spring rains kissed;</SPAN><br/> In the hard quartz, by some old April sown,<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Blossoms Time's flower, the steadfast amethyst.</SPAN><br/></p> <p class="poem"> "Here's pansies, they're for thoughts"&mdash;weak thoughts though fair;<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">June sees their opening, June their swift decay.</SPAN><br/> But those stone bourgeons stand for thoughts more rare,<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Whose patient crystals colored day by day.</SPAN><br/></p> <p class="poem"> Might I so cut my flowers within the rock,<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">And prison there their sweet escaping breath;</SPAN><br/> Their petals then the winter's frost should mock,<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">And only Time's slow chisel work their death.</SPAN><br/></p> <p class="poem"> If out of those embedded purple blooms<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Were quarried cups to hold the purple wine,</SPAN><br/> Greek drinkers thought the glorious, maddening fumes<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Were cooled with radiance of that gem divine.</SPAN><br/></p> <p class="poem"> Might I so wed the crystal and the grape,<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Passion's red heart and plastic Art's endeavor,</SPAN><br/> Delirium should take on immortal shape,<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Dancing and blushing in strong rock forever.</SPAN><br/></p> <br/><br/><br/> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />