anniversary poem

she heard the children playing in the sun
since i have felt the sense of death
listen to the sounding sea
behold me, in my chiffon, gauze and tinsel
while i stood listening, discreetly dumb
there is a city, builded by no hand
night was black and drear
here falls no light
do not grieve that it is over
they ask me where i've been
i walk down the garden paths
the light withdrawn
were it not for that singular smell
what was it the engines said