Posts tagged Marly Youmans

The Red King’s orchard-close is blossoming,
And fragrance reaches as far as ships at sea
And regions of the far barbarians.
The King alone may walk inside the close
And look at the spring sky through flower-froth
Or stand in petal rain until the pink
And white obscures and crowns him with its snow.

Some gossips claim a woman made of blooms
Walks under petal-clouds with the Red King,
Her loveliness forbidden to all eyes
But his, so what they do and say is hid
Unknown, under the petals’ cumulus.
The Royal Orchard Keeper will not speak
Except to praise the orchard’s fruitfulness,
To ban bonfires and torches near the close,
To wrap the precincts in a cloud of hush
That no one but the Fool can dare disturb.

His head naked of any birthday hat,
His eyes reflecting dazzlements of white,
His staff a branch that’s blossoming with stars,
The Fool goes wandering outside the walls,
Singing ancient May-songs to the trees:

Let our May in frolic hour
    Make garland gaieties,
Let the sunshine bless the flower:
    Swell the fruit of May-trees.


-Marly Youmans

(Source: crookedceremonies)