Grey was the streaks
in my new friend's hair.
Brown was her eyes
drowsy but aware.

Lush were her lips,
not mine to share.
Radiant was her smile,
beaming rays, everwhere.

Sweet the night.
Sweet the dreams.
Sweet the thought.
Sweet, it seems
of a blossomed love,
envisioned within
my Soul, my trove,
I'll now begin,
to love you now,
though I will not win,
for fate has cast
its net on me,
I am blind
and cannot see.

Long the window
to the Soul,
eyes reflection
of days gone by.
All seeing, eyes
capturing joy
and sorrow.
Anguish does not
become thee.

When darkness
draws near,
'tis when
rises an old fear.
Fear lives
deep inside.
Fear of losing,
fear of failure.
Always try,
life changes,
you'll see why,
fear will
go elsewhere,
if you
will deny
and look
towards the
future and
another try.

Barren the branch,
no leaves appear.
Will they return?
Perhaps, next year.

To love,
to laugh,
to cry, again,
to feel,
to know
you have a friend.
To say
the words,
so often
not said,
"I love
you so"
is what
she spoke.
Stay here
with me,
one night,
more, for
I need
you more
then I
can say.
If you
cannot stay
anymore,
I will
show you
the door.
Goodbye love,
perhaps we
will meet
once again.
Unti then,
let us be
just friends.

I waited on
In the late autumn moonlight,
A train droning out of thought—

The mind on moonlight
And on trains.

Blind as a thread of water
Stirring through a cold like dust,
Lonely beyond all silence

And humming this to children,
The nostalgic listeners in sleep,

Because no guardian
Strides through distance upon distance,
His eyes a web of sleep.

Yvor Winters, (1900 - 1968), was an American poet, literary critic and professor. Winters was the author of many books. He married the poet and novelist Janet Lewis in 1926. He was awarded the 1961 Bollingen Prize for Poetry for his Collected Poems. Read more

“The Moonlight” was published in Secession no. 7 (Winter, 1924).This poem is in the public domain.

Sitting on the patio,
nowhere to go.
Writing an Ode,
which I'll show,
to no one.

A good friends Mother,
left the World today.
She lived in a Country,
so far away.
a foreign country,
on the Mediterranean Sea.
A beautiful country,
she will no longer see.
Rest in peace, where
you will surely be.

When the World crumbles,
like castles of sand
and the life you know
is not yours to command,
it is the time to stand,
raising your voices up high
and protest. You must,
so, all will know why.
This is your fight.
Do you live or just die?

Strap tight the light,
wait until Dawn.
Keeping your composure
for tomorrow and beyond

Rain splatters,
bouncing into
a fine spray.
Freshening air,
night and day.
Liking the Sun,
as I do,
the ground
is dry and
I am
missing you.