Eximious Old Friendships Are

Gladys Ely

Eximious old friendships are,
Marital and moony.
The passions of the sun will bear no looking
Save an oblique taking in
The peripheral blazing of a shielded center,

Aureoles of aureoles,
A black core flowering
After we close our eyes; too gold madly
Prism flashing, too Hybla honey,
These sun passions, as our bodies are;

The moon looks direct its gay calm,
Marks the absurdity
Of darkness, goes away comfortably for a month,
Returns tides, returns in full,
Rarely nonchalant among the stars.