Autumn Evening
(after Holderlin) The yellow pears hang in the lake. Life sinks, grace reigns, sins ripen, and in the north dies an almond tree. A genius took me by the hand and said come with me though the time has not yet come. Therefore, when the gods get lonely, a hero will emerge from the bushes of a summer evening bearing the first green figs of the season. For the glory of the gods has lain asleep too long in the dark in darkness too long too long in the dark.
Copyright © 2010 by David Lehman. Used with permission of the author.