3572. MEMORY

MEMORY

I've driven your solid-block car

even to the end of Devonshire's plane,

over that little string of hills where once

elves dwelt, and I ended up realizing one

thing and one thing alone : I have lived

here before. I was born inside a tree,

I carried water for the king and dug

ditches for Lord Saterlee himself. I

was risen from a long, dry sleep as

a child, took token kinship from

my mother's line, and have now - 

some 600 years too late - only

now returned to tell you.

-

There is no cosmic ending. All things

turn around. That morning smell

in the nose of Spring is the fine

smell of life's resurgence.