And is it stamina br that unseasonably freaks br forth a bluet, a br Quaker lady, by br the lake? So small, br a drop of sky that br splashed and held, br four-petaled, creamy br in its throat. The woods br around were brown, br the air crisp as a br Carr's table water br biscuit and smelt of br cider. There were frost br apples on the trees in br the field below the house. br The pond was still, then br broke into a ripple. br The hills, the leaves that br have not yet fallen br are deep and oriental br rug colors. Brown leaves br in the woods set off br gray trunks of trees. br But that bluet was br the focus of it all: last br spring, next spring, what br does it matter? Unexpected br as a tear when someone br reads a poem you wrote br for him: 'It's this line br here.' That bluet breaks br me up, tiny spring flower br late, late in dour October.