Poetry Monday

I was listening to the Tony Bennett's duets on the NPR First Listen page. (If you don't go there you should). His duet with Norah Jones is a song called Speak Low, with music by Kurt Weill and lyrics by Ogden Nash. I'd never heard it before and it's an excellent song and, of course, also poetry. Ogden Nash is not one of my favorite light poets but I had no idea he was also a lyricist. Video below, plus the lyrics.

Speak low when you speak, love
Our summer day withers away too soon, too soon
Speak low when you speak, love
Our moment is swift, like ships adrift, we're swept apart, too soon
Speak low, darling, speak low
Love is a spark, lost in the dark too soon, too soon
I feel wherever I go that tomorrow is near, tomorrow is here and always too soon
Time is so old and love so brief
Love is pure gold and time a thief
We're late, darling, we're late
The curtain descends, ev'rything ends too soon, too soon
I wait, darling, I wait
Will you speak low to me, speak love to me and soon