Trembling Ends

great rock faces fell into the sea here
and were washed and smoothed
until we only see them with our minds

a maiden trembled on these grey-green cliffs
assailed by bony pirates,
now the forms of fog and cypress
but the eye does not believe

a man leaps on the rocks
and the heart hears a hero

he draws her from the fog
and the rocky faces sigh
the cypress falls cursing on his sword

and in the celadon surf
their blood is the sea
life curls on life
and trembling ends