Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE RED MONTH, by JAMES OPPENHEIM


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE RED MONTH, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Golden morning / hello! Hello!
Last Line: Hello! Hello!
Subject(s): Love; September


I

Golden morning!
Hello! hello!
Echoes of song -- the meadow-lark twittering,
Spill of the swallow.

II

Dance on the slopes of bright dew, and come singing,
Beloved girl!
On the grass red with apples come dancing, come running!
Hark, how the thrush sings!
Mark, how the wind leaps!
Morning is here,
Bold morning is here.

III

Come across the grasses!
Come swift across the grasses!
Quicker! quicker! Leap with your hands up!
Dance with knees up,
Gold hair flying,
White teeth bare!

IV

For we shall go laughing straight through the orchard, and scatter
Dew lit with sun,
And we shall go romping beneath green boughs low with apples
And over the stone wall,
Scrambling through briers,
Race in the woods -- the wind-loud woods,
The woods with the dead leaves flying.

V

Your cheeks, beloved, are fresher than pansies to the touch,
Dewy pansies.
Pluck handfuls of wild grapes;
And here's a grape for you,
And here's a grape for me,
Tart, sharp, to crush against the palate,
Staining red lips blue.

VI

The thrush -- is he up?
The mole -- peers he forth?
Is the young dog running in the scent of the squirrel?
Who has washed the heavens blue,
And set the sun there?
Oh, make a cup of your hands, and in the clearing
Catch cups of sunshine, loveliest, for me!

VII

And come now in coolness where the thin spring tinkles,
And the brown wren dips her wings.
O my beautiful!
Come now and gathered be all in an armful,
Under leafy oak-boughs, here where the wasps sing,
O my beautiful!
Kiss my lips, and let me know
That the ripe month, the red month,
September the glorious,
Has tapped the gold-wine of the sun
And sluiced it into our hearts,
And piped it into our hearts, darling,
So happy, happy are we!

VIII

And, hark! the warbler!
He whistles! whistles!
This kiss, and this kiss!
Golden morning!
Hello! hello!





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