The ripple scarcely cut the green
    That edged the central path of grey.
I drew the oars, and, all unseen,
    Gave reverent greeting to the day.

Naked I stood with arms outspread
    That opened wide the gates of dream;
Then breathless bent my wondering head
    And sprang to meet the silent stream.

I slid and floated like a seal,
    And bade my senses revel free—
From cheek to footsole I could feel
    Her soft cool hands caressing me.

A noise of tiny wavelets woke,
    I quenched my drouth with delicate sips,
And, as I drank, the surface broke
    In eager kisses on my lips.

The scented breath of morning turned
    To incense as toward the west
At last, rock-altar’d, I discerned
    The sunshine on the mountain crest.

That light of blessing from the sky
    Made us the fuel of its blaze,
And fragrant bush and stream and I
    Were one aspiring cry of praise.