By Frank O’Hara:

Animals

Have you forgotten what we were like then

when we were still first rate

and the day came fat with an apple in its mouth

It’s not use worrying about Time

but we did have a few tricks up our sleeves

and turned some sharp corners

the whole pasture looked like our meal

we didn’t need speedometers

we could manage cocktails out of ice and water

I wouldn’t want to be faster

or greener than now if you were with me O you

were the best of all my days

[1950]