two o'clock in May

Maxfield Parrish
whirling dervish
of mustard seed
and
monarchs
as
moments resurface
tiled
and
tempered
in goblets of grace
darkness to sunlight outline of days
vinca vine trailing along the clay brick
noticed by no one
it's tendrils it lays
circular, intricate patterns abound
wind whips through boughs
as
love tattoos the ground
trails; whirly-gig-maple-pods ... twigs and wood-green
tell the tale of all the gray space between
surrender to no one
surrender the fight
surrender the hollow
of
white-birch
in
moonlight ...
illustrate these wind-swept hours
perceive beyond this swirling morning haze;
color the space

darken the line
with
mustard seeds

and 

monarchs
to
define these nearly summer days