Birds in Snow by H.D.

Birds in Snow

by H.D.

(published in Poetry, December 1928)

See

how they trace,

across the very-marble

of this place,

bright sevens and printed fours,

elevens and careful eights,

abracadabra

of a mystic’s lore

or symbol

outlined

on a wizard’s gate.

Like plaques of ancient writ

our garden flags now name

the great and very-great;

our garden flags acclaim

in carven hieroglyph,

here king and kinglet lie,

here prince and lady rest,

mythical queens sleep here

and heroes that are slain

in holy righ...