Do you see a
daisyworld?
Daisywhirled by ice?
Close your eyes then look to mine;
See the ways of floral time-
In focus for a trice;
Refocused for a trice.
Daisyworld, oh daisywhirled
Trace the pattern now unfurled.
See reflected in my gaze
Refractions of the frost;
Held one instant frozen still
Gaze until your heart does fill;
And know what you have lost,
You know what has been lost.
Reflected might, refracted light
Hold you ever in my sight.
I could have given better state;
Forgiven you the word;
You spoke of me in passing, once
As you were riding out to hunt,
You didn't know I'd heard.
How could you know I'd heard.
Given gift, forgiven rift,
Tend my shape to other shift.
"Witch!" you said; your hand upraised
In ancient graceful symmetry;
Your flash of fear it scourged my soul!
Left me reeling; so unwhole
Of myself a mimicry.
My self, mere mimicry.
Hand upraised! My soul unpraised
Twist you, turn you, till you're mazed.
Anger rises slow and cold;
Surprised, begins to swell.
And yet you struck a killing blow
How could you dare to see me so?
You sounded your own knell,
A chill resounded knell.
Rage arise! In wild surprise
Find your fate within my eyes.
I came, I knelt before your knee
Reclaimed my sense of self;
And you just smiled in faint regret
On tamer blooms your mind was set-
Buoyed so upon your wealth,
Raised high on worldly wealth.
I came to you, reclaimed for you
But -favour found not in your view.
The one you love is fair indeed
So twice-beloved are you
And so you steer the wedding wheel
Inform the world of how you feel
And she does love you too
Oh, she does love you too.
Your love, beloved, in wreathing ring
For you the wedding's bells shall sing.
I trickle potion in the pot,
And sprinkle it with rue;
And now, my dear, you'll wed a sham-
For witch, you thought, and witch, I am!
You'll drink the cauldron brew,
The bitter cauldron brew.
A trickled sip, in sprinkled drips,
In but a drop between your lips.
Daisywhirled, oh daisyworld!
Shift me, twist me to her face
Mazed you'll be and look at me
Your dazzled eyes will think I'm she-
And then we shall embrace,
In marriage we'll embrace.
Daisyworld, oh daisywhirled
Set the pattern now refurled.
Tomorrow when you come to me;
(No sorrows in your heart)
You'll never find the truth at all-
For by your arrogance you fall;
I'll bind you by my art,
My bitter-blossomed art.
Tomorrow love, shall sorrow lie
Deep disguised within my eye.
And as the daisyworld reblooms
So daisywhirled you'll be.
You'll never know the brittle harm
I fed you with my daisy charm,
Its poison twisted me;
My poisoned misery.
Daisyworld, oh daisywhirled
Into chaos are we hurled.
Or- shall I turn you loose again?
And let you choose aware?
You'll not pick one you call a witch
You'll still love her- not make the switch,
You'll never see and care-
For me you'll never care.
Will you be loose, to freely choose?
Or shall I have you by a ruse?
I'll reinstate the face I have
My own estate I'll find;
The charm untwirl,
And harm unwhirl-
The charm I shall unbind.
But-
Could I have left you,
Would I leave you,
Should I leave you
Blind?
I'll reinstate your old estate
And set you free to love your mate.
Did you see a daisyworld?
Daisywhirled by ice?
Clear your eyes; don't look to mine;
Nor see the ways of floral time-
In focus for a trice;
Refocused for a trice.
Daisyworld, oh daisywhirled
I trace the pattern now refurled.
Charms I trace and chant again-
Snap the thread! Rewind the skein.