In the slight ripple, the fishes dart
Like fingers, centrifugal, like wishes
Wanton. And pleasures rise
as the eyes fall
Through the lucid water. The small pebble,
The clear clay bottom, the white shell
Are apparent, though superficial.
Who would ask more of the August afternoon?
Who would dig mines and follow shadows?
“I would,” answers bored Heart, “Lounger, rise”
(Underlip trembling, face white with stony anger),
“The old error, the thought of sitting still,
“The senses drinking, by the summer river,
“On the tended lawn, below the traffic,
“As if time would pause,
and afternoon stay.
“No, night comes soon,
“With its cold mountains, with desolation,
unless Love build its city.”
(Delmore Schwartz)
More Poetry from Delmore Schwartz:
Delmore Schwartz Poems based on Topics: Night, Time, Mind, Faces, Sadness, Cities, Summer, Water, Sense & Perception, Error & Mistake, Thought & Thinking- Father And Son (Delmore Schwartz Poems)
- Narcissus (Delmore Schwartz Poems)
- Baudelaire (Delmore Schwartz Poems)
- The True-Blue American (Delmore Schwartz Poems)
- A Dream Of Whitman Paraphrased, (Delmore Schwartz Poems)
- The Foggy, Foggy Blue (Delmore Schwartz Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Night Poems, Mind Poems, Sadness Poems, Time Poems, Faces Poems, Sense & Perception Poems, Thought & Thinking Poems, Summer Poems, Water Poems, Cities Poems, Error & Mistake PoemsBased on Keywords: superficial, centrifugal, lounger, underlip