I WOULD not stop you on your way;
I would not bind your feet;
Or on your shining forehead lay
One shadow of defeat.
Go forward — if you turn, the crowd
Might trample you with me.
Let the flute-players play more loud
And the dancers dance more free I
But once before the palace gate
Rolls back and I'm bereft —
Turn and look on me; and if fate
Has any pity left,
A passing mist upon your eyes
Will redeem every sacrifice.
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1963, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 60 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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