William Jay Smith Quotes

Not ringed but rare, not gilled but polyp-like,
having sprung up overnight— These mushrooms of the gods, resembling human organs
uprooted, rooted only on the air,

And I’ll love you as long
As the furrow the plow,
As However is Ever,
And Ever is Now.

Thinking of you this evening,
I think of mystery;
I think of umbrellas of crystal
Shading a cinnamon sea;

A silver-scaled dragon with jaws flaming red
Sits at my elbow and toasts my bread.
I hand him fat slices, and then, one by one,
He hands them back when he sees they are done.

I know a place all fennel-green and fine
Far from the white ice cap, the glacial flaw,
Where shy mud hen and dainty porcupine
Dance in delight by a quivering pawpaw;

The lariat snaps; the cowboy rolls
His pack, and mounts and rides away.
Back to the land the cowboy goes.

The long-haired Yak has long black hair,
He lets it grow — he doesn't care.
He lets it grow and grow and grow,
He lets it trail along the stair.
Does he ever go to the barbershop? NO!
How wild and woolly and devil-may-care
A long-haired Yak with long black hair
Would look when perched in a barber chair!

Tasting of the sweet damp woods and of the rain one inch
above the meadow: It was like feasting upon air.

He hangs in the hall by his black cravat,
The ladies faint, and the children holler:
Only my Daddy could look like that,
And I love my Daddy like he loves his Dollar.

And life is a rain-swept mirror
Through which perpetually
A girl with bright hair flowing,
Dappled dark coat blowing,
Into the unknown, knowing,
Walks with me.

Now touch the air softly,
Step gently. One, two...
I’ll love you till roses
Are robin’s-egg blue;
I’ll love you till gravel
Is eaten for bread,
And lemons are orange,
And lavender’s red.