Michael Edwards

IN UMBRIA

                             IN UMBRIA   

 

Sienna burnt and umbrian brown,

the hills where cypress fingers point.

And settled proud upon their palms,

imposing pantiled structures stand.

 

With hues and compass proud reflect

embodiment of symmetry

in sweeping lands of sun-kissed soil,

the arbiters of their terrain.

 

A downward sweep in serial ranks

with clinging roots in calcerous clay

espaliered ranks of trebbiano

yield their purple progeny .

 

Below, the lakes of upturned faces,

flowers sun-track, gold reflecting

stand erect and proudly proffer

seed in cases ripening black.

 

And punctuating this domain

the gnarled and ancient olives grow,

with withered arms of grey supporting

fruits reflecting their fair land.