When granite¹ and sandstone begin to blur² and flow， the eye rests on cool white aspen.

    Strange， their seeming transparency. How as in a sudden flash one remembers a forgotten name， so the recollection. Aspen.

    With a breeze in them， their quiet rhythms，

    shimmering³， quaking. Powder on the palm.

    Cool on the cheek. Such delicacy⁴ the brittle⁵ wood， limbs snapping at a grasp， whole trees tumbling in the winds.

    Sweet scent⁶ on a swollen⁷ afternoon. Autumn， leaves falling one upon another， gold rains upon a golden earth. How at evening when the forest darkens， aspen do not.

    And a white moon rises and silver stars point toward the mountain， darkness holds them so pale.

    They stand still， very still.