I would have dreamt you had my dreams be pallid
and languid, floating punt or smaller boat
upon a river, water lilies furled
in palest tinctured flames, each leaf a plate
upon which wisps of water seep, like light
from windows upcast against darkening blue
with stars in pallid hues, alike the sweet
nenuphars upon the river's flow-
ing passage unto sea and ever quick
currents that fret the shore, and scent of salt,
a restless place of water capped in foam,
and, underneath, a forest formed of wrack
wherein may swim the merfolk, ever occult
to hold rivers, water lilies a dream.