Once as I travelled through a quiet evening, br I saw a pool, jet-black and mirror-still. br Beyond, the slender paperbarks stood crowding; br each on its own white image looked its fill, br and nothing moved but thirty egrets wading - br thirty egrets in a quiet evening. br br Once in a lifetime, lovely past believing, br your lucky eyes may light on such a pool. br As though for many years I had been waiting, br I watched in silence, till my heart was full br of clear dark water, and white trees unmoving, br and, whiter yet, those thirty egrets wading.