Three songs for Franz Schubert.(Poem)

 
   1. 
 
   The young man sings 
   of love and winter 
   with the snow of his voice 
   and his passionate breath. 
 
   When it was summer 
   she gave flowers and welcome 
   but now it is winter 
   his sweetheart's door is closed. 
 
   His tears are frozen. 
   Dense flocks of starlings 
   thicken and darken 
   against the gray clouds 
 
   and a wisp of blown smoke 
   is frailer than snowflakes. 
   Her summer footprints 
   soft on the warm grass 
 
   are flattened and buried 
   in the death of paths. 
   The bright ways of love 
   are lost in snowdrifts. 
 
   Now he must leave 
   the roofs of his happiness. 
   Only his shadow 
   moves on the white snow. 
 
   2. 
 
   He has left behind him 
   the fountains of romance 
   and love's clean initials 
   cut in the lime tree. 
 
   Winter has stifled 
   the lilt of the river 
   and the wind skates over 
   a surface of ice. 
 
   Stray dogs snarl at him 
   surly towns reject him 
   fresh snow has whitened 
   the ...