and she loved loving So she woke and bloomed And she rose

And she loved loving 

So she woke and bloomed 

And she rose. 

 

And many men had been there 

To drowse awake and go downstairs 

Lonely for coffee and bread. 

 

But she drowsed awake lonely 

For coffee and bread. 

 

And went upstairs 

With me, and we had 

Coffee and bread. 

 

And then we were so happy to see the lovely 

Mother who had been her mother a long time. 

 

In this city broken on the wheel 

 

We went back to the warm caterpillar of our hotel. 

 

And the wings took. 

 

Oh lovely place, 

 

Oh tree. 

 

We climbed into the branches 

Of the lady's tree. 

 

We birds sang. 

 

And the lemon light flew out over the river. 

 

[James Wright {1927-1980} 'Hotel Lenox', from Above the River]

 

Listen to it here