may i

oh may i live

often enough

to soften

long enough

to let fall

the hardening

of which i’ve tried to build

oh may i soften

let me melt into a smile

let me sit and sink a while

so that all becomes beguile

let my jowls fall down

let mellow my frown

into folds unfolding

as i am holding

and softening

never too soon

never too often