Did you ever go back to the woman you used to love, after it was all over -- the heartaches, the self-conflict, the numbness, and all that -- to find in her a friend who understood, whose spirit had grown sweeter, finer, truer than it used to be in the old days when you loved but did not understand how beautiful is such a friendship, and how rare? There is a tenderness between you, a sincerity of truth, a subtle bond of union infinitely greater in its strength and firmness than the old-time passion ever bore. It isn't love as the world sees it; it doesn't ruffle you or make you blind; there is no swift and frequent alteration of ecstacy and despair; no jealousy, or intoxication of the senses, but just peace and natural sympathy, and a subtle, quiet gladness of the soul. You never quite forget her, even though you meet another woman -- which you always do -- and marry her for love. There is always the fragrant memory of the other woman, whom you loved and lost, and found again in a friend who understood. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A LITTLE BOY LOST, FR. SONGS OF EXPERIENCE by WILLIAM BLAKE A BALLAD OF THE FRENCH FLEET; OCTOBER, 1746 by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW TO JANE: KEEN STARS by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY SONNET UPON HISTORIE OF GEORGE CASTRIOT, ALIAS SCANDERBERG by EDMUND SPENSER THE SNOW MAN by WALLACE STEVENS THE SPIRIT AND THE CUP by A. E. ANDERSON INCOGNITA IN THE TEMPLE OF THESEUS by SEYMOUR GREEN WHEELER BENJAMIN |