Fall

Driven through by her own sword Summer died last night, alone Even the ghosts Huddled up for warmth Autumn has come to my hometown Friendly voices, dead and gone Singing, Star of the country down (Even the ghosts help raise the barn Here, now, in my hometown) When, out of the massing that bodes and bides in the cold west Flew a waxwing, who froze And died against my breast And all the while, rain Like a weed in the tide Swans and lists Down on the gossiping lawns Saying tsk tsk tsk I may have changed It's hard to gauge Time won't account for how I've aged Would I could tie your lying tongue Who says that leaving keeps you young And I have got no control Over my heart, over my mind Over the hills the rainclouds roll I'll winter here, wait for a sign To cast myself out over the water Riven like a wishbone You'd hardly guess I was my own mother's daughter I ain't naturally given to roam And I lay low, when I return And I move like a gurney Whose wheels are squeaking Alone, here in my home And I laugh when you speak of my pleasure-seeking Among the tall pines Along the ley-lines Here, where the loon keens There, where the moon leans There where I know my violent love lays Down in a row of silent, dove-gray days Here, in a row of silent, dove-gray days Wherever I go, I am snowbound By thoughts of him Whom I would sun I loved them all One by one Cannot gain ground Cannot outrun But time marches along You can't always stick around But, when the final count is done I will be in my hometown I will be in my hometown