The Willows Feint... Poem by robert dickerson

The willows feint, the banks exhale
a final sigh of signal green
The beeches watch like sentinels
The waters wink and drowse and yawn.
Cloud imparted from the rim
of heaven sail the still blue sky
sending under, over them
Septembers' unoffending ray.

Emigrated from the lawns
the summergolden girls and boys
leaning laughing on their arms
only in my reveries-
only in my revery
is the vision loathe to fade-
do the lovers ceaselessly
pass in lithesome promenade.

Jilted banks where once they lay
ice will strike your waters mute
laughing youth is flown away
summer blows his candle out.
Summerlovers, leave, I crave
your names behind, in charity:
scrawl them on the yellow leaves-
let them not be lost to me.

I will pluck them from the shore
press them mothproof, winterproof
into the cavernous cedar drawer
that is the safe and trust of youth-
then blow you snows and howl wild wind
for when your seal is on the glade
I shall fetch them out again
and watch the lovers on parade.