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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

BOYS AND GIRLS, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Boys and girls, come out to play
Last Line: Boys and girls, come out to play!
Alternate Author Name(s): Wolf, Robert Leopold, Mrs.
Subject(s): Children; Childhood


The Sun-children:
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.)
I have never done with you
Half the things I want to do.
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 --
I have never done with you
Half the things I want to do. . . .

The Sun:
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.

The Sun-children:
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!

The Sun:
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.

The Sun-child:
I have never done with you
Half the things I want to do.
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. . . .

I have never done with you
Half the things I want to do.
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.

The Sun-children:
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!





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