A QUARTET





















SUMMER

The Rev. Dana Prom Smith, S.T.D., Ph.D.

A summer on the sand beside the bay,

the burning sun, the pounding surf, the wisps

of wind-blown dunes, the spindrifts tingling spray,

the lotioned bodies recall times of lips

tasting of salt, of fair and teasing slips

of flesh limning a tawny skin, of traced

and secret gifts, of passion’s private taste.

Copyright © Dana Prom Smith 1982















AUTUMN

The Rev. Dana Prom Smith, S.T.D., Ph.D.

A lonely crossroads tree bronzed by the crisp

clean snap of frost, slender, crystalline skies

hazy from fields threshed, a smoldering wisp

from musty leaves betray smoky sighs

of dusky harvests, summer's coppered thighs

yielding succulent fruit from fall's tart sweet

trysts when we washed our dust and eased our heat.


Copyright (c) 1982 Dana Prom Smith


















WINTER

The Rev. Dana Prom Smith, S.T.D., Ph.D.

A line of poplars bare defines the field,

a whitened grove’s leafless oaks etch in black

the winter sky’s blue steel but nothing yield

to winds, raw, cold, a chill-wrapped hearth, bring back

salt roasted nuts, simmered spiced applejack

musk-savored flesh afghaned by your fired vault

when you softly twined my hard, hot assault.

Copyright © Dana Prom Smith 1982





















SPRING

The Rev. Dana Prom Smith, S.T.D., Ph.D.

In the innocent, freshing green of spring,

when warm and gentle showers wash anew

dead winter’s icy murk and heralding

crocuses beside a pathway debut

the budding time of life, we slew

our innocence with weapons forged of fire,

pillaging terrain ravished by desire.

Copyright © Dana Prom Smith 1982