Crack in the Wall

A crack appeared inside a wall
A door sprang up around it
Each of these so finely drawn
I could not believe I found it

A wildish wind blew it open wide
My childish mind followed on outside
And so I found myself among
My hearts delight surrounded

A world of wonder lay without
It was all of nature's calling
With field and forest, clouds and sun
Cascades of salt water falling

Heights and valleys, dark ravines
Ivy thick and wild, deep and thorny scenes
And yet each thing did love its place
In the lap of all of nature's sprawling

And so and so it goes

I asked the one whose land this was
If I might have a token
To take with me back to the other side
To have and to keep unspoken

I asked three times and was thrice denied
I asked again without my pride
And found I'd lost that world I'd lived
Returned as one now broken

To a crumb, a rag, a withered leaf
In the chilly winds of cold relief
I knew myself as I had been
As from a dream awoken

And so and so it goes

But then... a crack appeared inside a wall
And a door sprang up around it