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Yet let me keep the book: Oft shall my heart renew, When on its leaves I look, Dear thoughts of you.
Like you, 'tis fair and bright; Like you, too bright and fair To let wild pa.s.sion write One wrong wish there.
Haply, when from those eyes Far, far away I roam, Should calmer thoughts arise Towards you and home; Fancy may trace some line Worthy those eyes to meet, Thoughts that not burn, but s.h.i.+ne.
Pure, calm, and sweet.
And as o'er ocean far Seamen their records keep, Led by some hidden star Through the cold deep; So may the words I write Tell through what storms I stray, You still the unseen light Guiding my way.
Thomas Moore [1779-1852]
"BELIEVE ME, IF ALL THOSE ENDEARING YOUNG CHARMS"
Believe me, if all those endearing young charms, Which I gaze on so fondly to-day, Were to change by to-morrow, and fleet in my arms, Like fairy-gifts fading away, Thou wouldst still be adored, as this moment thou art, Let thy loveliness fade as it will, And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart Would entwine itself verdantly still.
It is not while beauty and youth are thine own, And thy cheeks unprofaned by a tear, That the fervor and faith of a soul may be known, To which time will but make thee more dear!
No, the heart that has truly loved never forgets, But as truly loves on to the close, As the sunflower turns to her G.o.d when he sets The same look which she turned when he rose!
Thomas Moore [1779-1852]
THE NUN
If you become a nun, dear, A friar I will be; In any cell you run, dear, Pray look behind for me.
The roses all turn pale, too; The doves all take the veil, too; The blind will see the show; What! you become a nun, my dear, I'll not believe it, no!
If you become a nun, dear, The bishop Love will be: The Cupids every one, dear, Will chant, "We trust in thee!"
The incense will go sighing, The candles fall a-dying, The water turn to wine: What! you go take the vows, my dear?
You may--but they'll be mine.
Leigh Hunt [1784-1859]
ONLY OF THEE AND ME
Only of thee and me the night wind sings, Only of us the sailors speak at sea, The earth is filled with wondered whisperings Only of thee and me.
Only of thee and me the breakers chant, Only of us the stir in bush and tree; The rain and suns.h.i.+ne tell the eager plant Only of thee and me.
Only of thee and me, till all shall fade; Only of us the whole world's thoughts can be-- For we are Love, and G.o.d Himself is made Only of thee and me.
Louis Untermeyer [1885-
TO----
One word is too often profaned For me to profane it, One feeling too falsely disdained For thee to disdain it.
One hope is too like despair For prudence to smother, And Pity from thee more dear Than that from another.
I can give not what men call love; But wilt thou accept not The wors.h.i.+p the heart lifts above And the Heavens reject not: The desire of the moth for the star, Of the night for the morrow, The devotion to something afar From the sphere of our sorrow?
Percy Bysshe Sh.e.l.ley [1792-1822]
FROM THE ARABIC
My faint spirit was sitting in the light Of thy looks, my love; It panted for thee like the hind at noon For the brooks, my love.
Thy barb, whose hoofs outspeed the tempest's flight, Bore thee far from me; My heart, for my weak feet were weary soon, Did companion thee.
Ah! fleeter far than fleetest storm or steed, Or the death they bear, The heart which tender thought clothes like a dove With the wings of care; In the battle, in the darkness, in the need, Shall mine cling to thee, Nor claim one smile for all the comfort, love, It may bring to thee.
Percy Bysshe Sh.e.l.ley [1792-1822]
THE WANDERING KNIGHT'S SONG
My ornaments are arms, My pastime is in war, My bed is cold upon the wold, My lamp yon star.
My journeyings are long, My slumbers short and broken; From hill to hill I wander still, Kissing thy token.
I ride from land to land, I sail from sea to sea; Some day more kind I fate may find, Some night, kiss thee.
John Gibson Lockhart [1794-1854]
SONG
Love's on the highroad, Love's in the byroad-- Love's on the meadow, and Love's in the mart!
And down every byway Where I've taken my way I've met Love a-smiling--for Love's in my heart!
Dana Burnet [1888-
