Maryse Elot New York, New York

Maryse Elot was born in France where, at the age of twenty, she became the youngest member of the Societe des Gens de Lettres, in Paris, admitted as a poet whose published works had already received wide recognition. In the years after World War II, Maryse was honored with the Silver Medal by Arts, Sciences, Lettres of Paris, the Gold Hibiscus for Poetry, and she is a Chevalier do L'Ordre de L'Elite Francaise. While in New York, she has had two books published and in more recent years Maryse Elot has had two one act plays and one full length play produced off-Broadway.

Chimes of Silence All the chimes of silence, Melodies in dim light Resound in a trance With the stars of the night A wall of souvenir, A forgotten window Strike a far away tune On the living clavier Of life, and old songs go Back to silence immune. Days are short; emptiness Fills another measure Of perhaps a sadness... The minute is so pure And all day long I hear A multitude of chimes... The silence rings so clear On the crystal of times. The chimes of silence are so high Soaring above the glory and The hope of Spring.

Landscapes of the Mind Landscapes of the mind, landscapes of nowhere Pure fabrication of an inner sight When the minutes sing their silent prayer. Landscapes of the mind all shadows and light In the privacy of a spring morning. You transcend the games of blossoms and leaves; You play within us your rite immortal... I see the rivers that are not flowering, The lakes bring their glare of mirrors Fatal to my consciousness, A bird sings and leaves... Perhaps the contours of an inner song, Are draped in the fog of a former dream Swinging from a thread, fragile and oblong The old memories performed by a mime.

Images Images whirling in the wind Images invaders of mind Call of the times we left behind. Images, a wall for the blind... It is spring in mid afternoon Images float around me Images of when we were we Enjoying the sun or the moon... The wisterias hang their blossoms Along the gates of a garden A mystery and a haven Images of unknown king domes Hasten my steps along the way; No one should dream the time away...

All poems Copyright © 1996 Maryse Elot. All rights reserved.