CLVIII and CLIX

"When forty winters shall besiege thy brow", and "To sing alone before and empty pool"

There were two persons of a ripened age,

one Rich, one very Poor, were their two looks.

The Rich one had no text on any page,

but she who was so Poor had heavy books.

Said Rich: “all of my life I’ve giv’n to greed;

for gain and empty glory was I spent.”

Said she who was so Poor, but full, “I’ve need

of someone to recount my life’s content!

For I have never seen the thrill of gain.

I saw instead the treasure hid within

the joys of building something calm and plain—

of something I could truly share with kin.”

One’s text is never true if it is vain.

A progeny is built on what is plain.

~~~

I go out nights and make quite bare the pool,

but sometimes I’ll stay out there quite some time,

not swimming, that would be against some rule,

but singing with its broad acoustics, fine.

The walls are made of windows, so’s the roof,

and every other surface strict stucco.

The barrier to others is soundproof,

so every note can be quite loud and slow.

A spider on the ceiling must record

the songs I’ve sung in here for all these years.

The best of beauty that my days afford

is found alone in songs only she hears.

How sad it is, to sing for just one soul,

who can’t call back the song and make it whole?