Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, IF I HAD KNOWN, by MIRIAM DEL BANCO


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IF I HAD KNOWN, by            
First Line: If I had known this morning
Last Line: To change the words of
Subject(s): Lament; Love; Mourning; Bereavement


If I had known this morning,
How all the weary day
The angry words I said to you
Before you went away,
Would fill your heart with sadness,
Would taunt you with their tone,
I would have been more gentle then —
If only I had known!

If I had thought the coldness
With which I turned away
Would haunt you like a weary dream,
And cloud your sunny May,
I would have spoken softly;
But did you ever seek
To crush with pride the tenderness
Your lips would gladly speak?

If I had but considered
How many a weary hour
Your heart had sheltered mine from pain,
As one would shield a flower,
I would have borne in silence
And spared you needless pain,
Nor uttered words whose sharpness ne'er
Can be recalled again.

For though the starry twilight
Has brought your kiss of peace,
How long 'twill be ere, to us both,
The pain of heart shall cease!
It might have been that never
Love's hand would set them right;
For many a one goes forth at morn
That ne'er returns at night.

How gently do we utter
Our thoughts to friend and guest;
But ah! How careless is our tone
To those we love the best!
Oh, stay the look of anger!
Oh, check the word of scorn!
Lest night's sweet sorrow be too late
To change the words of




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