If You Were Coming in the Fall

If you were coming in the fall I’d brush the summer by With half a smile and half a spurn As housewives do a fly If I could see you in a year I’d wind the months away If you were coming in the fall I’d brush the summer by If you were coming in the fall Oh, I would not ask why But now I cannot tell The reach of time’s dark wing It goads me like the bee That will not name its sting If only centuries delayed I’d count them on my hand Subtracting till my fingers dropped Into Van Diemen’s land If you were coming in the fall I’d brush the summer by If you were coming in the fall Oh, I would not ask why But now I cannot tell The reach of time’s dark wing It goads me like the bee That will not name its sting But now I do not know The sting of time’s dark wing If you were coming in the fall I’d brush the summer by If you were coming in the fall Oh, I would not ask why If you were coming in the fall If you were coming in the fall