"Leaving the Motel" by W.D. Snodgrass

William De Witt Snodgrass wrote under the pseudonym S. S. Gardons. He was an American poet who won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1960. He was born in 5 January 1926, and he died 13 January 2013.

Outside, the last kids holler
Near the pool: they'll stay the night.
Pick up the towels; fold your collar
Out of sight.

Check: is the second bed
Unrumpled, as agreed?
Landlords have to think ahead
In case of need,

Too. Keep things straight: don't take
The matches, the wrong keyrings--
We've nowhere we could keep a keepsake--
Ashtrays, combs, things

That sooner or later others
Would accidentally find.
Check: take nothing of one another's
And leave behind

Your license number only,
Which they won't care to trace;
We've paid. Still, should such things get lonely,
Leave in their vase

An aspirin to preserve
Our lilacs, the wayside flowers
We've gathered and must leave to serve
A few more hours;

That's all. We can't tell when
We'll come back, can't press claims,
We would no doubt have other rooms then,
Or other names.

This poem depicts the story of two unnamed people who have stepped away from society to be together, with a high possibility that the relationship shouldn't even be occurring. They have checked in with different names, as mentioned in the last stanza, so that no one will trace or find them, and they have paid for the motel room.
The beginning of the poem is actually the end of the occasion; "fold your collar our of sight" implies that clothing is being readjusted to leave no trace of where the person has been and what has happened. They also have to ensure that the second bed in the room looks as though it's been slept in, when in reality it hasn't been touched. This is proof that the entirety of the poem is scandalous. The couple must take steps to ensure that no one knows of what has happened there and that no one knows that they were even there. The meticulous checklist runs through the poem, which indicates that they have taken every precaution beforehand and are continuing to do so now.
The author's tone could be one of awe or appreciation for what motels can offer. Even though this poem is sexual and scandalous in its various ways, motel rooms hold many people's secrets. They hold forbidden love and bonds unlike any others, and that's what can make motel rooms so interesting. On the other hand, the tone is also overwhelmingly regretful. Motel rooms open up new possibilities, but the possibilities seldom ever last. As fascinating as these places are, they also remind us that nothing lasts forever.