fall
at noon
Then the hours ride by unnoticed , making no sound as they go . The sea creeps nearer , nearer , like a snake which watches two birds asleep . It may not disturb them , but sinks back , ceasing to look at them with its bright eyes . Meanwhile the flowers of their passion were softly shed , as poppies fall at noon , and the seed of beauty ripened rapidly within them . Dreams came like a wind through , their souls , drifting off with the seed-dust of beautiful experience which they had ripened , to fertilize the souls of others withal . In them the sea and the sky and ships had mingled and bred new blossoms of the torrid heat of their love . And the seed of such blossoms was shaken as they slept , into the hand of God , who held it in His palm preciously ; then scattered it again , to produce new splendid blooms of beauty .