Charles Belbin

Freer Gallery

Seen in youth,
aged two score, standing
again in front of 
a painting of an old
man looking at plum
blossoms.  He has
brought along a qin
carried by a young boy.
An old tree gnarled
and weathered arches
up and over them.
A withered gnarly
tree trunk, truncated,
in the foreground.  The 
river flowing by, flowing
by.  Mist billows into vast
expanse, a ridge line beyond—
rooted there staring
at the plum blossoms,
thoughts flowing.