Maia

(D'am c'hoar vihan MAIA

(† 10 vloaz)

MAIA

To my little sister MAIA

(† at 10 years)

 

...One leaf, two leaves

Three leaves falling around me

On this October morning

 

And now my memory travels back

Far back

Into time's depth

Before I was yet born

 

It was, they said, an October morning

The leaves were falling

There was an only daughter

There was a pretty girl

With a face too pale

With flaxen eyes too brilliant

With chestnut hair too like

The features of an angel.

 

A little girl too weak

To withstand the summer heat

A little girl too pure

To suffer winter's mud

Her spotless soul flew

Toward the blue islands

On that October morning

 

People and trees

Scattered on her grave

Bitter tears

And dried leaves

 

...One leaf, two leaves

Three leaves falling around me

On this October morning...

 

June 1967.