October Romance

Onyou I have waited,
And I have rested my pain.
I have thrown down mysuffering
On the crooked wreath of your smile,
And I have waited.
Ithrew an October romance,
And no one came.
I set up the dialogue
On thinpaper platters
Next to the punch bowl
Of infinite doubts.
And I waited,sagging
On hands and knees
For your absolution,
For your imminentarrival.
No one came.
So I threw down my suffering,
And I told the emptyporch swing,
And the green paper lanterns, and
The party favors
Abouthow all I wanted
Was to be wreathed, for a moment
In your smile.