REACHING BACK

reaching back through years to youth
from longing heart with weathered hands
to caves that echo golden loves
and pleasures of life's great demand

crawling through the wreck of time
o'er wastelands cast imprisoned years
the endless tundra's lonely song
begs windburned eyes for frozen tears

ages gone cool waters lush
through fertile flowing gorges run
where lady fingers' gentle dew
still beckons in the morning sun

passion yields to time all love
as beauty fades in slow decay
the finest flowers bloom atop
the mountains at each close of day