Spring (Let’s Take a Walk)
by Kenneth Koch

Let’s take a walk
In the city
Till our shoes get wet
(It’s been raining
All night) and when
We see the traffic
Lights and the moon
Let’s take a smile
Off the ashcan, let’s walk
Into town (I mean
A lemon peel)
Let’s make music
(I hear the cats
Purply beautiful
Like hallways in summer
made of snowing rubber
Valence piccalilli and diamonds)
Oh see the arch ruby
of this late March sky
Are you less intelligent
Than the pirate of lemons
Let’s take a walk
I know you tonight
As I have never known
A book of white stones
Or a bookcase of orange groans
Or symbolism
I think I’m in love
With those imaginary racetracks
of red traced grey in
The sky and the gimcracks
Of all you know and love
Who once loathed firecrackers
And license plates and
Diamonds but now you love them all
And just for my sake
Let’s take a walk
Into the river
(I can even do that
Tonight) where
If I kiss you please
Remember with your shoes off
You’re so beautiful like
A lifted umbrella orange
And white we may never
Discover the blue over-
Coat maybe never never O blind
With this (love) let’s walk
Into the first
Rivers of morning as you are seen
To be bathed in a light white light
Come on