Skies glooming overhead,
Autumn winds sighing;
Bare yonder garden bed,
Flowers low lying.
All their rich radiance fled,
All their pale petals shed,
Wan wraiths of Summer sped,
In Autumn’s closes;
Crimson and cream and gold
Strewn on earth’s bosom cold,
Mingling with umber mold–
Ashes of roses.
See, in yon waning West
Rich roses blowing
On Heaven’s palimpsest
God’s message glowing;
Rose hues and amethyst
Drenched in purpureate mist,
Darkness with Day keeps tryst,
Night’s curtain closes;
Quenched is the burning gold,
Shadowed the upland wold,
Day’s fires grow dull and cold
Ashes of roses.
So on this heart of mine
Shadows are lying;
Lotus and rue entwine,
Dim dreams are dying;
Stilled is the thrill divine,
Spilled is the amber wine,
Dimly the cold stars shine;
Wan age discloses
All youth’s bright blossoms dead,
All love’s rare radiance sped,
All hope’s pure petals shed–
Ashes of roses.
(Leigh Gordon Giltner)
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Based on Topics: God Poems, Night Poems, Death & Dying Poems, Joy & Excitement Poems, Heaven Poems, Dreams Poems, Flowers Poems, Gold Poems, Money & Wealth Poems, Summer Poems, Wine PoemsBased on Keywords: palimpsest