And life miss ever what has never been
We weep to-day, let theirs be sadder tears
Who have not seen thee near as we have seen,
Who shall but learn a hope died long ago.
Alas for flowers untimely winds have broken,
That should have scattered seed of following flowers!
Alas for ruin of unbuilded towers!
Alas for ripening words that die unspoken!
But let them weep with sadder tears than ours
Who shall but learn a hope died long ago,
A world’s hope long ago.
The voice can reach no blending minors near;‘Tis the bird’s trill because the spring is hereAnd spring means trilling on a blossomy bough;‘Tis the spring joy that has no why or how,But sees the sun and hopes not nor can fear–Spring is so sweet and spring seems all the year.Dear voice, the first-come birds but…
‘Read Modern History,’ ‘Trimmed up my grey hat,’‘Darned stockings,’ ‘Tatted,’ ‘Practised my new song,’‘Went to the daily service,’ ‘Took Bess soup,’‘Went out to tea.’ Poor simple diary!and did I write it? Was I this good girl,this budding colourless young rose of home?did I so live content in such a life,seeing no larger scope, nor asking…
Should be a castaway.’ If some one nowWould take that text and preach to us that preach, —Some one who could forget his truths were oldAnd what were in a thousand bawling mouthsWhile they filled his — some one who could so throwHis life into the old dull skeletonsOf points and morals, inferences, proofs,Hopes, doubts,…
The engrafted thought in me throve incomplete,And grew to summer strength in every partOf root and leaf, but hath not borne the flower.Love hath refrained his fullness from my heart.I know no better beauty, none with powerTo hold mine eyes through change and change as thine,Like southern skies that alter with each hour,And yet are…
Shone she not high and hallowed and fair?Could she not tarry her life-time there?Why must she fall and fade?She had heaven nigh.I of the earth, I would she had stayedIn her lonely air.Higher than love lived my star,My clear, cold star.Why must she droop to our mists below?Ah, for the glory of long ago!Ah, for…
Love has only now.We can swear it, we who standIn Love’s present, hand in hand,Thou and I, dear, I and thou.By and by and Long ago;Last month’s buds, next winter’s snow;Love has only now.Do we wot of rathe or sereIn Love’s boundless summer year,Thou and I, dear, I and thou?Suns that rose and suns to…
