I must admit I marveled toward the west
and north this morning as I exercised
the dog. I suddenly felt love, caressed,
by breeze refreshed, by scenery surprised.
The gardens rose like guards behind my back;
before me rolled the contours of the bay.
What night resigned to tones of navy black
the light of morning switched to blue and gray.

For 15 minutes then I trod in grace,
a messenger at one end of a yard
of cotton webbing, flitting on the face
of Nature, eyelash-soft and insect-hard,
moment-wise enough to glimpse the hand,
and for a quarter hour understand.