Margaret

Spring and Fall
by Gerard Manley Hopkins

to a young child

Márgarét, áre you gríeving
Over Goldengrove unleaving?
Leáves like the things of man, you
With your fresh thoughts care for, can you?
Ah! ás the heart grows older
It will come to such sights colder
By and by, nor spare a sigh
Though worlds of wanwood leafmeal lie;
And yet you wíll weep and know why.
Now no matter, child, the name:
Sórrow’s spríngs áre the same.
Nor mouth had, no nor mind, expressed
What heart heard of, ghost guessed:
It ís the blight man was born for,
It is Margaret you mourn for.

Margaret Are You Drug
by George Starbuck

Cool it Mag.
Sure it’s a drag
With all that green flaked out.
Next thing you know they’ll be changing the color of bread.
But look, Chick, Why panic?
Sevennyeighty years, we’ll all be dead.
Roll with it, Kid.
I did.
Give it the old benefit of the doubt.
I mean leaves
Schmeaves.
You sure you aint just feeling sorry for yourself?

Margaret

margaret, with your waterfall hair
you’re no symbol
so when you hear their blackboard chatter
you just go on, girl

as if they cared its you who’s the one weeping
like anything they say could matter

they don’t see that of grief’s own accord your tears
don’t lie alone upon the ground

the leaves, your tears, lemming bones
the ground must reach up and collect the fall
and if you’re feeling sorry for yourself
you’re feeling sorry for us all