Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE DURATION OF LOVE, by FERDINAND FREILIGRATH


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE DURATION OF LOVE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Oh! Love while love is left to thee
Last Line: Thou'lt mourn by silent graves—alone!
Alternate Author Name(s): Freiligrath, Hermann Ferdinand
Subject(s): Love - Nature Of


OH! love while Love is left to thee;
Oh! love while Love is yet thine own;
The hour will come when bitterly
Thou'lt mourn by silent graves, alone!

And let thy breast with kindness glow,
And gentle thoughts within thee move,
While yet a heart, through weal and woe,
Beats to thine own in faithful love.

And who to thee his heart doth bare,
Take heed thou fondly cherish him;
And gladden thou his every hour,
And not an hour with sorrow dim!

And guard thy lips and keep them still;
Too soon escapes an angry word.
"O God! I did not mean it ill!"
But yet he sorrowed as he heard.

Oh! love while Love is left to thee;
Oh! love while Love is yet thine own;
The hour will come when bitterly
Thou'lt mourn by silent graves. alone.

Unheard, unheeded then, alas!
Kneeling, thou'lt hide thy streaming eyes
Amid the long, damp, churchyard grass,
Where, cold and low, thy loved one lies,

And murmur: "Oh, look down on me,
Mourning my causeless anger still;
Forgive my hasty word to thee—
O God! I did not mean it ill!"

He hears not now thy voice to bless,
In vain thine arms are flung to heaven!
And, hushed the loved lip's fond caress,
It answers not: "I have forgiven!"

He did forgive—long, long ago!
But many a burning tear he shed
O'er thine unkindness—softly now!
He slumbers with the silent dead.

Oh! love while Love is left to thee;
Oh! love while Love is yet thine own;
The hour will come when bitterly
Thou'lt mourn by silent graves—alone!





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