Upon hearing the sound
Of horn, hoof and hound
Like mountain streams gone river bound
Refreshing waters underground
In canyons deep where oceans abound
Done round and round and round
He ventured and stumbled on like a funny clown
To the peopled boroughs where the lights shown
Up and down around the mounds
Over the hills and statued lawns
In distant floating nights
In breezy chirping dawns
On his face grew dew and sun
Guiding to the place and town
Of schooled and steepled vagabond
Where the only safe one
Was the rabbit on the run
The glory was great and wine ran freely
Kisses like roses, fragrant, blushing and lively
Those in tails and wedding gowns danced gaily
Rocking babies in their cribs slept well
Old ones rested and blessed the spell
With stories long gone and present to tell
So the spinning spun along in the dell
And all things seemed well done and said
When on the green the fox turned red
Startled by the black sound of a gun
Well before it's shout the race had begun
Come spring, come summer, come fall undone
For life and horizon
Origin and destination
Cursing, fighting and alienation
Creating, loving, with much dedication
Toil, blessing and damnation
Prayer, song and coronation
Flowers, fowlers and commendation
Prosperity, fools gold, joy and lamentation
Of living, dying and regeneration
Till the muted coo coo looked on without animation
In the pasture cows lowed to slow the expectation
Time's point ever sharpening while dulling sensation,
Shot an arrow from a distant quiver
Below, Country and town began to shiver
Breath on his lips was fleeting, and the clouds fickle
Southward Ducks and Geese looked down like angels
Upon each newborn calf, lamb and foal
The bell in the in the market place began to toll
With howling the windswept snow-squalls flew
Slowly hands of ice on placid waters grew
Then all was calm in his mind's landscape view
All he had been and done, those he'd loved and known
'Till the days were gone and scattered shadows shew
Now lain aside were cap and gown
As vacant white sleep lay quiet on frozen ground
Silently, fly away, fly away sight and sound
Far from his bosom, where he lay down
With the earth his bed, the cold his blanket,
The snow his pillow, G-d his comfort,
And death his crown.
