Alfred Kreymborg, ed. Others for 1919. 1920.
William Saphier
Childhood Memories
T
their trunks hidden by bushes;
behind them a grey haze topped with silver
hides the swinging steps of my first love
the Danube.
grave steel palaces with smoking torches,
parading monasteries moved slowly to the Black Sea
till the bared branches scratched the north wind.
a great Leviathan waited
for the ceremonies on the arrival of Messiah
and bobbing small fishes snapped sun splinters
for the pleasure of the monster.
red capped little hours danced
with rainbow colored kites,
messengers to heaven.
of swallows swinging
through a slow dormant summer
to a timid line on the horizon.