I. Salisbury
The veined, intelligent vaults
collected ribs of darkness
and thrust them sloping
into the buttresses.
Daylight in warm streams
swung out of the clerestory
and flowing into the choir
ran out in high hosannahs
trumpeted to the altar of the Lord..
II. A Castle Hall
Immense with hung tapestries
over the obscure stone:
green weaving
of intricate woodland branches
and small enameled buttercups
pricked into a lawn whereon
appropriate knights consorted
with their dames
sedately rose or tan.
But at night
when purple logs flared orange
on the castle's massive walls
in the heavy light
the colors leapt on the retina
and the whole arrangement thickened
and moved grossly
into the deepest shade,
dancing, dancing.
III. The Parthenon
Driven into the mind
and curved so simply upward
it seemed turned out of air
or the air had endowed it with breath,
with pure vibration-
very still-
you could nearly hear it exhaling.
IV. We Made These
Our heads full of seasons.
Our hands full of death.