Crack in the Wall

A crack appeared inside a wall A door sprang up around it Each of these so finely drawn I could not believe I found it A wildish wind blew it open wide My childish mind followed on outside And so I found myself among My hearts delight surrounded A world of wonder lay without It was all of nature’s calling With field and forest, clouds and sun Cascades of salt water falling Heights and valleys, dark ravines Ivy thick and wild, deep and thorny scenes And yet each thing did love its place In the lap of all of nature’s sprawling And so and so it goes And so and so it goes I asked the one whose land this was If I might have a token To take with me back to the other side To have and to keep unspoken I asked three times and was thrice denied I asked again without my pride And found I’d lost that world I’d lived Returned as one now broken To a crumb, a rag, a withered leaf In the chilly winds of cold relief I knew myself as I had been As from a dream awoken And so and so it goes And so and so it goes But then a crack appeared inside a wall And a door sprang up around it