Love's Firstfruits
And so it flourished—till at last it fell
And the fruit framed in girlhood's life of leaves
Hung warm and sweet, flushed crimson from the sun
Of girlhood's Summer, so the Autumn came
And with it came a Gatherer strong and bold
Who raised a longing hand to reach it down,
That little fruit of love—but it out-soared
That long lithe arm, and so the Gatherer shook
The slender green-girt stem until at last
Loosed from its hold Love's firstfruit dropped to him.
. . . So my heart's harvest has been yielded up
A rapturous, speechless sacrifice to thee!
And the fruit framed in girlhood's life of leaves
Hung warm and sweet, flushed crimson from the sun
Of girlhood's Summer, so the Autumn came
And with it came a Gatherer strong and bold
Who raised a longing hand to reach it down,
That little fruit of love—but it out-soared
That long lithe arm, and so the Gatherer shook
The slender green-girt stem until at last
Loosed from its hold Love's firstfruit dropped to him.
. . . So my heart's harvest has been yielded up
A rapturous, speechless sacrifice to thee!
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