end of the semester

in the cloudy afternoon the air is cool not cold
leaves are piled up but here and there are flowers
this is a story that's been far too often told
the slow decline the waning of life's powers
the groundsman smiles as though afraid to speak
rain seems to bode but seems to hesitate
we've come to the last turning of this week
the next is short but that is up to fate
i've done my work i've written and i've thought
of both the needful and the far from sure
regarding slavery and the victory bought
at a high price by toussaint louverture
this would have been i'm certain a huge shock
if he had learned it to that wise man john locke