Don’t fix the world yet.
Its cries are my lover’s cries.
When the ship is repaired, and sails
My secret happiness dies.
Errors you see on street and pier
Keep officials busy, and these sighs
Are sad, but music, and she is here—
Who will disappear when that perfection
Due the world loosens all ties
To imperfect love, and winds blow in a new direction.
They are finding ways to make life better
So the young will mock the letter
I wrote to her a long time ago
Which made her fall in love with me, and so
I beg you, don’t change the arpeggio
To some new dance.
She will dance away, if she has a chance.
Don’t fix the world yet;
Her imperfect life is my life,
She is my mad and maddening wife—
Who loves me, and doesn’t know
How to escape me, how easily
With a brand new melody,
She could look at me, and wave goodbye, and go.
