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