Magnolia Lane My Green World

A Memory Of June

When June comes dancing o'er the death of May
With scarlet roses tinting her green breast
And mating thrushes ushering in her day
And Earth on tiptoe for her golden guest

I always see the evening when we met
The first of June baptized in tender rain
And walked home through the wide streets, gleaming wet
Arms locked, our warm flesh pulsing with love's pain.

I always see the cheerful little room
And in the corner, fresh and white, the bed
Sweet scented with a delicate perfume
Wherein for one night only we were wed

Where in the starlit stillness we lay mute
And heard the whispering showers all night long
And your brown burning body was a lute
Whereon my passion played his fevered song.

When June comes dancing o'er the death of May
With scarlet roses staining her fair feet
My soul takes leave of me to sing all day
A love so fugitive and so complete.

Poem by Claude McKay