Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, UNFORGOTTEN, by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

UNFORGOTTEN, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: When my heart wearies, and to rest are gone
Last Line: Words whereof death steals not the breath away.
Alternate Author Name(s): Ramal, Walter; De La Mare, Walter


When my heart wearies, and to rest are gone
The friends I loved in youth and leaned upon --
One after one, the faces bright life gave
Into the soundless nothing of the grave;

When only mothlike through my mind do flit
Age-shadowed memories to solace it:
Ev'n then, ev'n then, I think thine eyes will be
As dark, as tender, and as dear to me.

When my hand trembles, and no task remains
But needs more cunning than its palm contains;
When every step I take but echoes, 'Lo!
How lightly and gladly did we long-since go!'

Ay, when my head upon an arching spine
Nods in the glass unto a face scarce mine: --
Despite all these hard things, one dear shall be
Haunting my helplessness -- the ghost of thee.

By feeble candle-light to rest I'll get
And in gray dreams walk where the violet
Blows sweet -- where once a foolish boy grew hot
Lest thou, O dear and far, didst love him not:

I shall not know, in dream, what age hath done,
But turn to kiss a cheek for ever gone:
And I, perchance, shall take thy hand and say
Words whereof Death steals not the breath away.





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