She sat in the fortresses’ lee
Under an experienced tree.
The sight was breathtakingly beautiful and to disturb it I hardly dared
I wanted nothing more than just to continue to see
As she stared under the fortress’s lee

He golden locks fell to her sides and her long printed skirt touched her toes
As the sun’s millionth attempt failed to touch her as the canopy of the tree interposed
Her long fingered hands held the book she read
Looking so entrapped as if the most beautiful story it said
Her lips parted, her head tilted
And over the page her green eyes flitted.
She seemed so happy, so free as she sat in the fortresses’ lee.

I made no attempt to grip the time as it slipped from my hands
And landed in the afternoon desert sands.
From the book she looked up and then it didn’t take her long
To lift herself off the boulder and be gone
And I too turned on my heel because there was nothing more to see
As she sat in the fortresses’ lee.