When we were in Delft
water shadows on stone on stucco
dishes and silver clacking in kitchens
every house had a boat tethered
we had to figure out which bridge to cross
and how the square
opened to sky the cathedral at the north end
we climbed a ladder lowered from the eaves
and the deep bells woke us
but we didn’t mind
we could see from the top
roof beyond roof and knew tiny black figures
below were tourists the Dutch rode bicycles
everything was blue and white
when we were in Delft still in love
and the cobbled square
and the cheeses and beer were not symbols
even the cold rain later blue and white sky
meant what it meant.
(Poet Lore)
