Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE GROWTH OF LOVE, by JAMES SHERIDAN KNOWLES


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE GROWTH OF LOVE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: To say he loved / were to affirm
Last Line: To bound no more! He went.
Subject(s): Love


To say he loved,
Were to affirm what oft his eyes avouch'd,
What many an action testified -- and yet --
What wanted confirmation of his tongue.
But if he loved -- it brought him not content!
'Twas now abstraction -- now a start -- anon
A pacing to and fro -- anon, a stillness,
As naught remain'd of life, save life itself,
And feeling, thought, and motion, were extinct!
Then all again was action! Disinclined
To converse, save he held it with himself;
Which oft he did, in moody vein discoursing,
And ever and anon invoking Honour,
As some high contest there were pending, 'twixt
Himself and him, wherein her aid he needed.
-- I saw a struggle,
But knew not what it was. I wonder'd still,
That what to me was all content, to him
Was all disturbance; but my turn did come.
At length he talk'd of leaving us; at length,
He fix'd the parting day -- but kept it not --
O how my heart did bound! Then first I knew
It had been sinking. Deeper still it sank
When next he fix'd to go; and sank it then
To bound no more! He went.





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