WHITE ON WHITE

what colors hide in white?

would you pursue

the white within white,

its purest, unknowable

secret? in the clearest water,

what fish? in the iciest air,

what passions might entwine?

white drawn from white

will not whiten

does one more white

efface another? or do they breed

new swans, new jasmines?

sleepless night finds its end

in the white scales of dawn, dust the old walk through

silvers their hair, white clouds softly sprawling

night’s dews stiffen into frost

boiled white beans, crushed, yield life’s new milk

dappled on white stones

spring’s lights and shadows