With The Off-season as Day and the Regular Season as Night, by Fyodor Tyutchev, 1803 - 1873, one of the great Russian romantic poets.

The Off-season and The Regular Season

The spirit world we may not see,

That nameless gulf, is shrouded over

And hidden by a golden cover;

Thus do the gods on high decree.

The Off-season - this most splendid shroud is thee,

The Off-season - for us mortals, animation,

The ailing soul's alleviation,

That men and gods delight to see.

But let The Off-season fade and The Regular Season commence;

The blessed veil is torn, revealing

The fateful world it was concealing,

And hurled incontinently hence...

The gulf lies naked to the sight

With its black horrors of perdition,

'Twixt them and us lies no partition:

And that is why we fear The Regular Season!