For thine and thee, an image only soFormed of the sand, and fit to shift and break.It is that distant years which did not takeThy sovranty, recoiling with a blow,Have forced my swimming brain to undergoTheir doubt and dread, and blindly to forsakeThy purity of likeness and distortThy worthiest love to a worthless counterfeit:As if…
In the noon-sun, with souls that tremble throughTheir happy eyelids from an unaverredYet prodigal inward joy. Behold, I erredIn that last doubt ! and yet I cannot rueThe sin most, but the occasion–that we twoShould for a moment stand unministeredBy a mutual presence. Ah, keep near and close,Thou dovelike help ! and, when my fears…
Thou canst prevail against my fears and flingThy purple round me, till my heart shall growToo close against thine heart henceforth to knowHow it shook when alone. Why, conqueringMay prove as lordly and complete a thingIn lifting upward, as in crushing low !And as a vanquished soldier yields his swordTo one who lifts him from…
(Against which years have beat thus blanchinglyWith their rains), and behold my soul’s true face,The dim and weary witness of life’s race,Because thou hast the faith and love to see,Through that same soul’s distracting lethargy,The patient angel waiting for a placeIn the new Heavens,–because nor sin nor woe,Nor God’s infliction, nor death’s neighbourhood,Nor all which…
From innocent play, and leave the cowslips piled,To glance up in some face that proved me dearWith the look of its eyes. I miss the clearFond voices which, being drawn and reconciledInto the music of Heaven’s undefiled,Call me no longer. Silence on the bier,While I call God–call God!–So let thy mouthBe heir to those who…
I sit beneath thy looks, as children doIn the noon-sun, with souls that tremble throughTheir happy eyelids from an unaverredYet prodigal inward joy. Behold, I erredIn that last doubt! and yet I cannot rueThe sin most, but the occasion—that we twoShould for a moment stand unministeredBy a mutual presence. Ah, keep near and close,Thou dovelike…
And by them we find rest in our unrestAnd, heart deep in salt-tears, do yet entreatGod’s fellowship as if on heavenly seat.The first is JESUS WEPT,–whereon is prestFull many a sobbing face that drops its bestAnd sweetest waters on the record sweet:And one is where the Christ, denied and scornedLOOKED UPON PETER. Oh, to render…
Doth crown me with ruby large enowTo draw men’s eyes and prove the inner cost,–This love even, all my worth, to the uttermost,I should not love withal, unless that thouHadst set me an example, shown me how,When first thine earnest eyes with mine were crossed,And love called love. And thus, I cannot speakOf love even,…
‘I love her for her smile–her look–her wayOf speaking gently,–for a trick of thoughtThat falls in well with mine, and certes broughtA sense of ease on such a day–‘For these things in themselves, Beloved, mayBe changed, or change for thee,–and love, so wrought,May be unwrought so. Neither love me forThine own dear pity’s wiping my…
With thanks and love from mine. Deep thanks to allWho paused a little near the prison-wallTo hear my music in its louder partsEre they went onward, each one to the mart’sOr temple’s occupation, beyond call.But thou, who, in my voice’s sink and fallWhen the sob took it, thy divinest Art’sOwn instrument didst drop down at…
