Once Later
It is not until later
that you have to be young
it is one of those things
you meant to do later
but by then there is
someone else living there
with the shades rolled down
how could you have been young there
at that time
with all that was expected
then what happened to
the expectations
there is no sign of them there
a shadow passes across the window shade
what do they know in there
whoever they are
W.S. Merwin
published in New York Review of Books
May 7,2015
