Let the tree grow,
quivering green pavilions.
I take of my shoes,
let the Russian Empress’s veil flow,
the Imperial crown blaze out.
I am fearless!
This tree blows,
vanishing leaves fallen,
I wander down and pick flowers,
the moonlight—
wild roses, I will clasp
in my hands, and
lay them by
the river’s trembling edge.

SOURCE: “Fool’s Gold” by Alexandra Carr-Malcolm is based on page 41 of The Waves by Virginia Woolf (Penguin Modern Classics, 2000).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Alexandra Carr-Malcolm was born and raised in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, United Kingdom, and now lives in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, where she works as a freelance British Sign Language Interpreter. A writer since childhood, two years ago she established a poetry blog at worldlywinds.com. Her poetry has been published by Dagda Publishing in five collaborative anthologies, with part of the proceeds donated to charity.