(Quicksilver Daydreams Of) Maria

Townes Van Zandt
University of Minnesota
November 1973

a diamond fades quickly
when matched to the face of Maria
all the harps sound empty
when she lifts her lips to the sky
the brown of her skin
makes her hair seem a soft golden rainfall
that spills from the mountains
to the bottomless depths of her eyes

she stands all around me
her hands slowly sifting the sunshine
all the laughter that lingers
down deep beneath her smiling is free
it spins and it twirls
like a hummingbird lost in the morning
then caresses the south wind
and silently sails to the sea

the sculptor stands stricken
the artist throws away his brushes
when her image comes dancing
the sun turns sullen with shame
the birds go silent
and the wind stops his sad mournful singing
when the trees of the forest
start gently to whispering her name

--Townes Van Zandt (from "(Quicksilver Daydreams of) Maria)")