Two Ways of Love.
42
And my too modern spirit mocks, and says
"That men have died, and worms have eaten them,
But not for love." No! but for lack of it.
And yet the very blade that stabs so deep
And severe all the arteries of joy
Is joy itself! Bewildering! Oh my heart,
The glad heart of my girlhood, where art thou?
A tiling so young and glad an hour ago!
Then time did not exist for me, nor death,
Nor any of those foolish, empty words
An hour ago! Yes! I was happy then.
The air was full of light, a dazzling sea
Where faces floated, and a mirror gave
One, happier than the rest, a look of me.
These saffron roses—are they still the same
I fastened with a diamond at my throat
An hour ago? The air was full of light,
And silver voices rang so melting sweet
From flute and violin and harp, that strings
Hid deep within my being, answered them
In thrilling cadences—an hour ago!
"That men have died, and worms have eaten them,
But not for love." No! but for lack of it.
And yet the very blade that stabs so deep
And severe all the arteries of joy
Is joy itself! Bewildering! Oh my heart,
The glad heart of my girlhood, where art thou?
A tiling so young and glad an hour ago!
Then time did not exist for me, nor death,
Nor any of those foolish, empty words
An hour ago! Yes! I was happy then.
The air was full of light, a dazzling sea
Where faces floated, and a mirror gave
One, happier than the rest, a look of me.
These saffron roses—are they still the same
I fastened with a diamond at my throat
An hour ago? The air was full of light,
And silver voices rang so melting sweet
From flute and violin and harp, that strings
Hid deep within my being, answered them
In thrilling cadences—an hour ago!
And Phillip passed me, and we looked and smiled,
I up into his eyes, he down to mine,
And suddenly, a tremor shook my heart.
I up into his eyes, he down to mine,
And suddenly, a tremor shook my heart.
