 | [Poems by Cary in] The poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary with introduction and notes |  |
[II. The beautiful measure of thy trusting love]
The beautiful measure of thy trusting loveSurvives the answering faith it knew of old;
Over the heart thy pleadings cannot move,
Slowly but sure the closing wave hath rolled:
The unpitying eyes thou meet'st burn not more bright,
Though now thy lips with eloquent fervor speak,
And all thy passionate kisses may not light
The crimson fires in the unchanging cheek.
How shall I give thee solace? Had she died,
With love's sweet sunlight shining in her eyes,
Then might'st thou, casting selfish grief aside,
Patiently wait reunion in the skies:
For better than the living faith estranged,
The love that goes down to the dead unchanged.
| [Poems by Cary in] The poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary with introduction and notes | |