William Carlos Williams (1883?1963)

To wish Myself Courage

On the day when youth is no more upon me
I will write of the leaves and the moon in a tree top!
I will sing then the song, long in the making?
When the stress of youth is put away from me.
How can I ever be written out as men say?
Surely it is merely an interference with the long song?
This that I am now doing.
But when the spring of it is worn like the old moon
And the eaten leaves are lace upon the cold earth?
Then I will rise up in my great desire?
Long at the birth?and sing me the youth-song!