I watch at eve thy bright inquisitive eyes As slowly wane the twilight hours away, In conquering sense and tender earthly ties, To mystic night bedewed in silver ray. The vine-leaf shades around us—flower to flower Sip a store from thyme and inmost bower. Love seems abroad and all of thee a part In murmurous secrets of the growing night. I feel the warm blood beat about my heart, Like waves o'erflowing summer seas, fleece-white Mist-thin surge, around a wrecked ship's beam From off whose drooping mast past sorrows gleam. There let those billows try to soften doom; The leaden years no charms can ever lift, But sink and sink with Time into the tomb, Crushed thence in anguish, echoes of my Love adrift On mimic smiles, false joys in endless quest That only Death may bring at last to rest. No! No! Why think of that with thee so near? Be this our dwelling—this pale silent night, Whose walls they touch not, who know love less dear. Some bond of Nature draws me to this light Of a thousand thousand petals in moon-eyed bliss, A bed of roses—lilies—then thy kiss. How can it matter now—that Love of mine, This useless pining o'er things vanished, dead— A Past bereaved, which should have been divine In custom living, side by side, instead? To deeply love—'tis never to be sent Full Consolation—e'en for an hour lent. Oh, upstart lips that speak pretentious lies 'Mid all the venom of a warring world, Your kiss is but a touch that I despise, So near the Sorrow of those sails now furled! Thy face is hideous in the silvered light Of a Love now gone, but mine—all mine, by Right! Come, Sorrow, let us hence—some quiet land, Burn thy noble torch and bear it high; Feel no compunction on a jasmine-scented sand, For they are grain on which all loves will die. We may be bruised and wrapped in suffocating pain, But with Honour, Truth, and Destiny not slain. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MY HUT; AFTER TRAN QUANG KHAI by HAYDEN CARRUTH GOSSAMER by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON TAPS by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON ADMETUS; TO MY FRIEND RALPH WALDO EMERSON by EMMA LAZARUS HOW THE GREAT GUEST CAME by EDWIN MARKHAM FROM THE SHORE by CARL SANDBURG |