the ladies of summer

the ladies of summer will die like the rose

and the lie

the ladies of summer will love

so long as the price is not

forever

the ladies of summer

might love anybody;

they might even love you

as long as summer

lasts

yet winter will come to them

too

white snow and

cold freezing

and faces so ugly

that even death

will turn away—

wince—

before taking them.