Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). The New Poetry: An Anthology. 1917.

Boys and Girls

Genevieve Taggard

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-child:
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 liquid 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 to 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!