Twelve O’Clock
Mother, I do want to leave off my lessons now.
I have been at my book all the morning.
You say it is only twelve o’clock.
Suppose it isn’t very late;can’t you ever think
it is afternoon when it is only twelve o’clock?
I can easily imagine now that the sun has reached
the edge of that rice-field, and the old fish-woman is
gathering herbs for her supper by the side of the pond.
I can just shut my eyes and think
that the shadows are growing darker
under the MADAR tree, and the water
in the pond looks shiny black.
If twelve o’clodk can come in the night,
why can’t the night come when it is twelve o’clock?