Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, REQUIEM, by CHRISTINE L. HENDERSON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

REQUIEM, by                    
First Line: I must say good-bye to the leaves
Last Line: I must say good-bye to the leaves.
Subject(s): Death; Nature; Dead, The


I must say good-bye to the leaves,
They are falling and falling,
In drops of flame and of gold
Dripping down to the mould;
In flutter of green and brown,
Down on the streets of the town
They are falling and falling
Silently, slowly down.

('Tis a sad, and fate, ah me,
-- Having been as a bird in the tree,
Having lifted and lilted in air,
Rocked and swayed up there --
Now to drop down in the rain
To flatten and fade. Is it pain
To fall silently, slowly down,
Down on the streets of the town?)

I must say good-bye to the leaves.
They are hurrying, scurrying,
Dancing and prancing,
Whirling and skirling, . . .
For a wind is raking the trees,
And the gold, the green and the flame
Seem to think it a merry game
To be gone without question,
Retort or suggestion,
Leaving the air and the light
To flatten and fade in the night,
On the murk and the dirt of the town
Swiftly swirling down,
Down on the streets of the town . . .
I must say good-bye to the leaves.





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