It was ghostly waking
All night through.
Dear things, kind things
That my old love said,
Ranged themselves reproachfully
Round my bed.
But I could not heed them,
For I seemed to see
Dark eyes of my new love
Fixed on me.
Old love, old love,
How can I be true?
Shall I be faithless to myself
Or to you?
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When we come home at night and close the door,
Safe in our own love and the gentle gloom,Glad of familiar wall and chair and floor,Glad to leave far below the clanging city;Looking far downward to the glaring streetGaudy with light, yet tired with many feet,In both of us wells up a wordless pity;Men have tried hard to put away the dark;A million lighted windows…
Strephon kissed me in the spring,
But Colin only looked at meAnd never kissed at all.Strephon’s kiss was lost in jest,Robin’s lost in play,But the kiss in Colin’s eyesHaunts me night and day.
It is enough for me by day
Enough that over us by nightThe same great roof of stars is dim.I have no care to bind the windOr set a fetter on the sea–It is enough to feel his loveBlow by like music over me.
The birds are all a-building,
And still I linger lonelyWithin a barren bower.I weave a web of fanciesOf tears and darkness spun.How shall I sing of sunlightWho never saw the sun?I hear the pipes a-blowing,But yet I may not dance,I know that Love is passing,I cannot catch his glance.And if his voice should call meAnd I with groping dimShould reach…
The beast to the beast is calling,
Like the stealthy lord of the jungle,The white man calls his mate.The beast to the beast is calling,They rush through the twilight sweet,But the soul is a wary hunter,He will not let them meet.
The spring is fresh and fearless
The world is brimmed with moonlight,The lilac brimmed with dew.Here in the moving shadowsI catch my breath and sing–My heart is fresh and fearlessAnd over-brimmed with spring.
It was ghostly waking
All night thru.
Dear things, kind things,
That my old love said,
Ranged themselves reproachfully
Round my bed.
But I could not heed them,
For I seemed to see
The eyes of my new love
Fixed on me.
Old love, old love,
How can I be true?
Shall I be faithless to myself
Or to you?
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When first I saw you — felt you take my hand,
How more than all they said your heart was kind,How strong you were, and quick to understand —I dared not say: ‘I who am least of thoseWho call you friend — I love you, and I craveA little love that I may be more braveBecause one watches me who cares and knows.’So, silent, long ago…
It is enough for me by day
Enough that over us by nightThe same great roof of stars is dim.I have no care to bind the windOr set a fetter on the sea–It is enough to feel his loveBlow by like music over me.
We are apart; the city grows quiet between us,
The tangle of traffic is ended, the cars are empty,Five streets divide us, and on them the moonlight lies.Oh are you asleep, or lying awake, my lover?Open your dreams to my love and your heart to my words.I send you my thoughts–the air between us is laden,My thoughts fly in at your window, a flock…
I saw the sunset-colored sands,
Where Ramses stares forth sereneAnd ammon’s heavy temple stands.I saw the rocks where long ago,Above the sea that cries and breaks,Bright Perseus with Medusa’s snakesSet free the maiden white like snow.And many skies have covered me,And many winds have blown me forth,And I have loved the green, bright north,And I have loved the cold, sweet…
When I can make my thoughts come forth
Each one puts on before the glassHer most becoming hat and gown.But oh, the shy and eager thoughtsThat hide and will not get them dressed,Why is it that they always seemSo much more lovely than the rest?
When I am dying, let me know
Although it stung like whips;That I loved all lovely thingsAnd I tried to take their stingsWith gay unembittered lips;That I loved with all my strength,To my soul’s full depth and length,Careless if my heart must break,That I sang as children singFitting tunes to everything,Loving life for its own sake.