LANDSCAPES SEEN IN DREAMS 



streams out toward the circling cliffs. 

 Each marcher dips his silken flag into the 

 quiet waters, and lights rise upon the 

 battlements above as one by one all the 

 black plumes are lost in the meadow's dark- 

 ness and the torches burn low and fall 

 into the pool. 



A garden planted only with dark-red 

 nasturtiums that lift for the dreamer's 

 touch a flower's velvet cheek lies filmed 

 with dew and fragrant as a noon breath 

 from Ceylon spice groves. The miracle of 

 color is spread along a hillside up to a 

 high wall of great gray stones, and inside 

 the gate is a house grown all over with 

 grapevines, some borne down by blue 

 clusters with shadowy bloom, some by 

 clusters of topaz and ripe green. There 

 is a pond among the grasses, where broad, 

 wan lilies float, and purple pansies border 

 all the walks. Very slowly the paneled 

 door opens and the sun floods the central 

 hall. It is hung with silver draperies, and 

 an old woman stands there with a candle, 

 mumbling and peering in a cataract of 

 light. 



177] 



