When Yellow Leaves Or None Or Few
Shakespeare, Sonnet 73
Snuff the candle, shut the door, put out
the light and say no more to me of this
world’s joy. For all things here are hit or miss,
and when they miss, we’re dour and cast about
for reasons to blame God or fate. I’m through
with that, for I’ve been God and I’ve been fate
and I’ve been blamed and cursed when I’ve been late
with gifts or praise or love, it’s true. So you
can take this world and stuff it— do! It’s not
that I’m for somewhere else, some greener place
with peace and love and ‘no more war’ and space
for Jews. No. Time’s my foe and time’s my lot
and time has got me where I’ve got. So handle
the candle and say goodbye to Jerry Mandle.
