Long Long Ago

Long long ago I went through the castle of leaves Yellowing slowly in the moss And far away barnacles clung desperately to rocks in the sea Your memory better still your tender presence was there too Transparent and mine Nothing had changed but everything had aged at the same rate as my temples and my eyes Don't you just love that platitude? Let me go it's so rare for me this ironic satisfaction Everything had aged except your presence Long long ago I went through the surf on a lonely day The waves were unreal even then The hulk of the shipwreck you knew about - remember that night of storms and kisses? - was it a ship or a delicate woman's hat rolled by the wind in the spring rain? - was there too After that its happiness and dancing in the hawthornes! The aperitifs had changed the names and colors Of the rainbows framing the mirrors. Long long ago you loved me.