Beautiful natural blossoms, br Pure delicate body, br You stand without trembling. br Little mist of fallen starlight, br Perfect, beyond my reach, br How I envy you. br For if you could only listen, br I would tell you something, br Something human. br br An old man br Appeared to me once br In the unendurable snow. br He had a singe of white br Beard on his face. br He paused on a street in Minneapolis br And stroked my face. br Give it to me, he begged. br I'll pay you anything. br br I flinched. Both terrified, br We slunk away, br Each in his own way dodging br The cruel darts of the cold. br br Beautiful natural blossoms, br How could you possibly br Worry or bother or care br About the ashamed, hopeless br Old man? He was so near death br He was willing to take br Any love he could get, br Even at the risk br Of some mocking policeman br Or some cute young wiseacre br Smashing his dentures, br Perhaps leading him on br To a dark place and there br Kicking him in his dead groin br Just for the fun of it. br br Young tree, unburdened br By anything but your beautiful natural blossoms br And dew, the dark br Blood in my body drags me br Down with my brother.