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Time and roses

– a sestina for Annemarie Hopper

 

1

The snow’s been falling down in drifts

On roses by the window glass .

The spring is very late this time .

The postman comes and then he leaves

A parcel just behind the curtain

And now I look at what he’s left

 

2

The wind is coming from the left

In breezy islands inward drifts

Of what I am not really certain

In colours of cathedral glass

On tulips , hyacinths and leaves

Conducting daffodils in time

 

3

The smell of rosemary and thyme

The honeydew the bugs have left

When they are chewing up the leaves

The cherry blossoms’ downy drifts ,

The dewdrops shine like beads of glass

The Summer rain , a shower curtain

 

4

The world’s a stage – a theatre curtain ?

The autumn scene comes round in time

And upturned is the hour glass .

We’re counting out the minutes left ,

Adagio in upward drifts

The flute comes in , the oboe leaves

 

5

The yard is thick with amber leaves

They’re blowing like a whirling curtain

They’re blowing down the road in drifts

Painted yellow – one more time

Bright dabs november winds have left

They glow like tinted-prism glass

 

6

Puddles shine like mirror glass

The yard is full of rotting leaves

Now only arias are left

Its dark enough to draw the curtain

And orchestrate the end of Time

Flowers are flung in rosey drifts

 

From up on stage , the pollen drifts

And after waving one more time

The Diva steps behind the curtain

 

March 2018

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