Blue-shaded Mountains

Blue-shaded Mountains

Dark canyons around me, and wild-running streams,
Around me blue mountains like mountains in dreams,
Around me a valley like Eden in spring.
Around, all is beauty — how can I not sing?

Like snowflakes in winter the white petals fall,
The cranes circle upward — I hear their wild call.
From high in their heaven, wild, haunting, and free,
They call to the valley — they’re calling to me:

“Come circle! Come circle! Come fly wing on wing!
We’ll call to the valley below us to sing
Of mesas and canyons and wild-running streams
And blue-shaded mountains like mountains in dreams!”