Classic and Contemporary Poetry
PARTING WORDS, by JOHN GODFREY SAXE Poet's Biography First Line: Farewell! Howe'er it fare with me Last Line: Its warmest worshiper estrange! Subject(s): Farewell; Parting | ||||||||
FAREWELL! Howe'er it fare with me, (But God is good!) I pray for thee Such peace as Heaven may grant to one Who, basking in the summer sun Of pleasure, for life's nobler part Bears evermore a wintry heart. And if I lose what could not last, With little grief that all is past, For me, I deem my sin was small: No broken pledges I recall; No shaken constancy; no word Of faith, save what might be inferred From lips that did but warmly kiss, Or speak, no other sense than this, -- That thou wert beautiful, and seemed The bright ideal I had dreamed My kind, but somewhat tardy, Fate Would send, one day, to be my mate. And, for a while, I looked to thee, With fond expectancy, to see (As suited with thy handsome face, Fair to excess!) the inward grace, The noble soul, the brilliant mind, That form the flower of womankind. The proverb says, "We live and learn"; And so it came that I discern (Since now I read thee, through and through, With eyes somewhat love - blinded, too!) A nature shallow, fickle, cold; A judgment weak, yet over-bold; A heart that yearns, when passionmoved, To love? No! -- only to be loved! And yet receives the precious store, Unconscious of the costly ore, As an unthinking child might cry For diamonds flashing in its eye, Whom bits of glass had pleased as well! I thank the Fate who broke the spell; I thank thee for the petty spite, That for a small, imagined slight, (Though graver sins had passed unseen!) At last dethroned my Fancy's queen, And left me musing how a face Which once had worn so sweet a grace Could, in a moment, (wondrous change!) Its warmest worshiper estrange! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE THREE CHILDREN by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN STUDY #2 FOR B.B.L. by JUNE JORDAN WATCHING THE NEEDLEBOATS AT SAN SABBA by JAMES JOYCE SESTINA: TRAVEL NOTES by WELDON KEES DEATH AND CUPID; AN ALLEGORY by JOHN GODFREY SAXE |
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