The Fall of Bold Slasher

'How cans't thou make me cry my blood away? '

Winter's just round the next corner
foggy slide to Michaelmas
gone half the flora half the fauna
left gulls sparrows grass

Chestnut leaves have crumpled early
stripped by hard October gales
leaving rhubarb-red and curly
heaps of stalks like tensed rats' tails

Gone the Circus gone the Hoppings
grey elephants on golden ropes
left damp targets tiger droppings
mashed poste-restant envelopes

Gone the oompah and the spangles
red-haired Bulgarian trapeze
gone the Bingo and bright bangles
...