Time, wouldst thou hurt us? Never shall we grow old. Break as thou wilt these bodies of blind clay, Thou canst not touch us here, in our stronghold, Where two, made one, laugh all thy powers away. Though ramparts crumble and rusty gates grow thin, And our brave fortress dwine to a hollow shell, Thou shalt hear heavenly laughter, far within, Where, young as Love, two hidden lovers dwell. We shall go clambering up our twisted stairs To watch the moon through rifts in our grey towers. Thou shalt hear whispers, kisses, and sweet prayers Creeping through all our creviced walls like flowers. Wouldst wreck us, Time? When thy dull leaguer brings The last wall down, look heavenward. We have wings. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TO THE DRIVING CLOUD by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW SONGS OF LABOR: DEDICATION by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER TO A DISTANT FRIEND by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH THE LAST CAESAR, 1851-1870 by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH IN LAMPLIGHT by MARTIN DONISTHORPE ARMSTRONG THE ELDER WOMAN'S SONG: 4, FR. KING LEAR'S WIFE by GORDON BOTTOMLEY TO A PERSIAN ROSE by WILLIAM STANLEY BRAITHWAITE |