@3The Sun-children:@1 Boys and girls, come out to play: The sun is up, the wind's astray, Early morning's gold is gone, (They slumber on, they slumber on.) @3I have never done with you Half the things I want to do.@1 I will put kisses on your knees, And we will squander as we please This little, lazy, lovely day! Ninety million miles away The sun halloos: "Come out to play, The winds are prancing on tip-toe Impatient with long waiting so, The hills look up. Come out, and oh, Let your bodies dart and run While I make shadows," says the sun. Boys and girls, come out to play Before the river runs away -- @3I have never done with you Half the things I want to do. . . .@1 @3The Sun:@1 Boys and girls, come out to play Before the river runs away. While you are fluid, unafraid, Beneath my light and shadow skim, Before this folded gloom is dim And limb no longer follows limb Dancing under spotted shade. For dancing were your bodies made! Before the roses of you fade Find your meaning for the mouth While I lean south; while I go west, Find your meaning for the rest. @3The Sun-children:@1 Throw back your head and fly with me, Love me, chase me, lie with me, Follow, sweetheart of the sun, Turn and follow where I run Between blue vineyards and fruit-trees -- Fall down and kiss me on the knees! Pant beside me while I pull Berries for you from the full Blue-jewelled branches. Crush them red Not on your mouth -- on mine instead! @3The Sun:@1 Nimble you move, you are my own My pliant essence. All alone, On fire in the passive sky I burn -- a stone, a golden stone. Together you in double shade Discover why your limbs were made. @3The Sun-child: I have never done with you Half the things I want to do.@1 Link your arms and loosen them, Pluck and suck a grass's stem. Touch my breasts with that blue aster, Kiss me fast -- I'll kiss you faster! Link your arms and loosen them. Now link your arms like mine together, Toward me lightly, like a feather, Dance. Like feathers you'll be blown Across the level field alone, And like a brown wing my bare feet Will skim the meadow till we meet. The river skips, but we are quicker: Its little body's slender glisten Goes down alley-ways of leaves. Flicker, sun, and river, flicker; Listen, lover, listen, listen How the river laughs and grieves. . . . @3I have never done with you Half the things I want to do.@1 Leap for me, sweetheart, reach and try To catch me, sweetheart; kiss and cry After me, sweetheart, darting by. After you seize me, we will lie, I in the grass, you in the sky; After you kiss me, we will start To try and reach each other's heart, And searching frantically find The unseen blisses of the blind. @3The Sun-children:@1 Before the river runs away, Boys and girls, come out and play. (They slumber on, they slumber on, Morning's glint is almost gone.) With yellow bubbles fill your veins Before the lusty day-star wanes. (They slumber on, they slumber on, Silken leopard noon is gone.) Die you may, die you must -- Fill your mouths with pollen dust; Calyxes and honey thighs Both will wither. Beauty dies. Find out why mouths are berry-red Before you stiffen in your drab bed. Over you humming summer will glide, You'll never lie languid on your side, And listen then as you listen now To half-heard melodies; oh, how The river runs and runs and runs Fluid with splendor, and the sun's Circuit is singing. Fragile day! Boys and girls, come out to play! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...DEAD LEAVES by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON A RED, RED ROSE by ROBERT BURNS THE OLD MAN OF VERONA by CLAUDIAN EPODE: 2. THE PRAISES OF A COUNTRY LIFE by QUINTUS HORATIUS FLACCUS AT ELLIS ISLAND by MARGARET LIVINGSTON CHANLER ALDRICH |