A Friendship Quilt

Struggling to survive in a foreign land I met an old lady, working on a small piece of quilt "Lovely", I remarked Proudly she showed me nine more pieces made by her friends To complete the mosaic of her quilt Nuance of her wrinkled face were filled with cherished memories of a lifetime "Do you have friends? " She asked after a pause A quilt needle pierced through my heart "No, " I said quietly, " All were left behind." That night in my cold empty room Tears rolling from my eyes I longed for the placid familiarity of my homeland For the warmth of a friendship quilt At midnight moon came out smiling from the clouds In its pellucid light from window pane A checkered pattern emerged on the wall The flat white squares on the wall Were dappled with the leaves and tree branches hanging in the sash Silhouette of a perfect quilt breathing life in still room- Made me smile through my tears I opened the window Standing in the dark room, listening to the quaint causerie Of stars and moon, of wind and leaves I watched the ebullition of benevolence from Nature Sweeping through my backyard Clairvoyance? For a sylph whispered from the woods "You are not alone"!