So Near an Oak [1]

So near
An oak stood I,
And heard soft rustle from
Zephyr-kissed leaves…O, sweet, relaxed
I was!

Drowsy
Sense persuaded
Me to lie at oaken
Trunk, and smiling midst scents of wild…
I slept.

Peaceful
Visions floated
Through my eager mind, and
I dreamt of she I knew…yet know
Not now?


Beheld
I a union
Of true beauties, and it
Was mysterious to me, for
I have

Seen her,
And now I see
Her not. Unturned face with
Unseen eyes; unheard voice…yet I
Knew her.

For, I
Knew her, though time
Advance us both…still, one
Past was with me: ethereal
Moments

Recalled;
Good times and bad;
Smiles, tear; world's end of song;[2]
And sad reality leading
Apart.

And they
Will not cease for
Me. These wispy phantoms
Coalesce to a sun-kissed One,
Known for

Wind-blown [3]
Name…now clad in
Rich crimson gown 'neath soft, [4]
Silver beams flickering ghostly
Lattice

Webs of
Shadows dancing;
Amid whispering leaves
Fresh fallen, I hear her tones
Once more…

But ne'er
In dreams, for there
She remains silent and [5]
Elusive where e'er I go. Yet,
I have

Glimpsed deep-
Souled orbs reflect
Bright-hued, scented blooms of
Orchid, Reddened Rose, Violet…
Lilac… [6]

A sweet -
Perfumed luster
Amid dewy tints…a
Rainbow scene steeped in starlight
Twinkle.

In dreams
I find her, she [7]
Turns, and as her long-lost
Visage begins to meet the light
My heart

Quickens
At nearness sight…
But ne'er success to be,
For dreams do fade at unwished times. [8]
Sadly

Did mine
Eyes awake to
Darkness still, but now were
Wild scents welcoming my senses;
Now were

Scarlet
Streaks amid blue
Gray sky etching ebon
Hills across painted scene. I sat [9]
Me up

And watched
Day's dying flame
Settle West, as Gale in [10]
Life would see anon: we'd share same
View…though

Displaced
Time doth delay.
Chill wind reminds me; off
To home, where dreams will e'er fall short…
Success

Denied
But yearnings
Return…as will I to
Oaken shade on morrow pre-eve [11]
To dream

Again.
Yes, dream again
With hopeful change of sweetened
Vista in thoughts ephemeral
To last

'Til life
responds: contact
real and view so true will [12]
end our wondering minds' unease.
I sleep

Again
In wooded copse
And dream with hope to find
Rare soul. To reunite for hour?
Or Day?

Ever?
Near oaken trunk,
I lay again to dream,
Not to wither my soul's growth
In one

Narrow
Plane. Does Gale dream
As I? Do our dreams join
As One in mysterious ways?
Do our

Hearts guide
Us in same or
Different directions?
Will flowing time reveal melody [13]
Unchained?

Or tunes
Apart? I shall
Consider answers and
Hope for beauty return…now and
Ever.

Paper
Hearts and cyber
Streams…all sincere…can ne'er
Supplant Erato-'spired discourse
For Gale.


***
[1] The poem is dedicated to Gale
[2] Our song was Skeeter Davis's 'End of the World'
[3] Her name is Gale, like the wind condition
[4] The strongest memory I have of her is being in a red dress
[5] She remains silent in all my dreams
[6] Her---and mine---favorite bloom is the Lilac
[7] I dream of her often
[8] I sometimes wake up in the middle of a dream
[9] I had slept thru to twilight
[10] Gale lives in California; I live in Connecticut
[11] I wanted to return to the oak tree the next afternoon
[12] I wanted to get together with her again
[13] A reference to Unchained Melody, from our teen years