Albatross

The lady comes

to the gate dressed

in lavender and leather

Looking North to the sea

she finds the weather fine

She hears the steeple bells

ringing through the orchard

All the way from town

She watches seagulls fly

Silver on the ocean

stitching through the waves

The edges of the sky

Many people wander up

the hills

From all around you

Making up your memories

and thinking

they have found you

They cover you

with veils of wonder

as if you were a bride

Young men holding violets

are curious to know

if you have cried

And tell you why

And ask you why

Any way you answer

Lace around the collars

of the blouses

of the ladies

Flowers

from a Spanish friend

of the family

The embroid'ry

of your life

holds you in

And keeps you out

but you survive

Imprisoned in your bones

Behind the isinglass

windows of your eyes

And in the night

the iron wheels

rolling through the rain

Down the hills through

the long grass to the sea

And in the dark the hard

bells ringing with pain

Come away alone

Even now by the gate

with you long hair blowing

And the colors of the day

that lie along your arms

You must barter your life

to make sure you are living

And the crowd that has come

You give them the colors

And the bells

and wind and the dream

Will there never be

a prince

who rides along the sea

and the mountains

Scattering the sand

and foam

into amethyst fountains

Riding up the hills

from the beach

in the long

summer grass

Holding the sun

in his hands

and shattering

the isinglass?

Day and night

and day again

and people come and go

away forever

While the shining

summer sea

dances in the glass

of your mirror

While you search

the waves for love

and your visions

for a sign

The knot of tears

around your throat

is crystallizing

into your design

And in the night

the iron wheels

rolling through

the rain

Down the hills

through

the long grass

to the sea

And in the dark

the hard bells

ringing with pain

Come away alone

Come away alone

with me