In Late Spring Snow

In Late Spring Snow

To find the stream
I seen before
That gushing ghyll
With a promised roar

A single sun was all I found
And while it shone up I climbed
Windswept moor drew me close
Once more to compose

Moods and thoughts
A lonely beck
That I sought
I solace take

The path
Mankind trod
Now he has
Betrayed his God

Quarried scars
Stark and cruel
The deed is ours
Craving fools

Poor Earth!
You cannot say
“Pity Earth”
“My crippled day”

The late
Spring snow
A flurried spate
To show

Winters hand
The icy grasp
Across the land
His final task

Now I stopped
A stunted tree
Lighting cropped
Welcomed me

In sad heart
I dully stared
Too tired to start
To worn to care

But here
The beck lay still
So strange here
Snowing still

They whispered down
Then I knew
Earth’s words sown
And sorrow too

Faster now
Lettered flakes
Told me how
Your heart aches

I stared
And read
I shared
Your dread

I am nothing
By myself
But suffering
Greed’s wealth

I need
Horizons new
To breath
In morning dew

Only see
My children’s growth
Hear the plea
Between us both

I will die
To feed you all
My strangled sigh
A windborne call

I made you
Lords of Earth
Life you slew
Took its worth
Now I weep
With poisoned tears
While you sleep
In uneasy fear

Prophets speak
Of dying soil
Truth they seek
Of seas despoiled

Man’s worn key
In Life’s lock
Turn and see
Your callous mock

Save my life
Just once
Spare my life
Just once

And then
A million years
Of men
A million tears will stem

Frank Harney

Copyright Frank Harney