Once Later

 

It is not until later

that you have to be young

 

it is one of the 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