The Poetical Works of George Barlow In Ten [Eleven] Volumes |
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“THE SWEETEST LOVE IS OVER”
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| X. |
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 | The Poetical Works of George Barlow |  |
190
“THE SWEETEST LOVE IS OVER”
I.
The sweetest love is over
This world has ever seen.
No more am I your lover!
No more are you my queen!
The stars are in the sky, love,
They glitter as of old:
Starless are you and I, love,—
Our heavens are dark and cold.
This world has ever seen.
No more am I your lover!
No more are you my queen!
The stars are in the sky, love,
They glitter as of old:
Starless are you and I, love,—
Our heavens are dark and cold.
Oh, if you had been true, love,
We could have conquered pain!
My whole soul trusted you, love
—It will not trust again.
The flowers again will brighten
At Spring's swift loving tread,
The waves will leap and lighten,
But oh, my heart is dead!
We could have conquered pain!
My whole soul trusted you, love
—It will not trust again.
The flowers again will brighten
At Spring's swift loving tread,
The waves will leap and lighten,
But oh, my heart is dead!
191
It was so little, surely—
I asked so little, dear;
That you should love me purely,
And be my true love here.
I loved in man's strong fashion,
And valued far above
The sweetest gifts of passion
The simplest gift of love.
I asked so little, dear;
That you should love me purely,
And be my true love here.
I loved in man's strong fashion,
And valued far above
The sweetest gifts of passion
The simplest gift of love.
The tenderest love is over
That life has ever seen.
No more am I your lover!
No more are you my queen!
The stars in heaven are shining;
Not one star shines for me!
There is no light for me to-night—
Oh, what light can there be?
That life has ever seen.
No more am I your lover!
No more are you my queen!
The stars in heaven are shining;
Not one star shines for me!
There is no light for me to-night—
Oh, what light can there be?
II.
A boundless darkness covers,
Gloom utter and complete,
The souls of us—two lovers
Who once found sunlight sweet.
The gloom is full of terror,
The terror full of pain:
Somewhere there has been error,
Mistake,—that much is plain.
Gloom utter and complete,
The souls of us—two lovers
Who once found sunlight sweet.
192
The terror full of pain:
Somewhere there has been error,
Mistake,—that much is plain.
Misunderstanding ghastly,
Oh, this there must have been!
Satan has triumphed vastly,
And stolen away my queen.
By means most strange and stealthy
The cruel deed was wrought:
Love deemed himself so wealthy;
Lo! Love possesses nought.
Oh, this there must have been!
Satan has triumphed vastly,
And stolen away my queen.
By means most strange and stealthy
The cruel deed was wrought:
Love deemed himself so wealthy;
Lo! Love possesses nought.
Love stays you not with yearning,
Arrests you not by prayer.
You pass a sudden turning—
Your figure is not there.
I strain my eyes in wonder;
Nought is there to behold.
We twain are leagues asunder,
Who were one heart of old.
Arrests you not by prayer.
You pass a sudden turning—
Your figure is not there.
I strain my eyes in wonder;
Nought is there to behold.
We twain are leagues asunder,
Who were one heart of old.
193
Of all love's bloom and splendour
What relic will there be?—
Not even one message tender!
Not even a look for me!
“Lost!” “lost!” the wail of sadness
Goes shivering through my heart.
We met in perfect gladness:
In hopeless pain we part.
What relic will there be?—
Not even one message tender!
Not even a look for me!
“Lost!” “lost!” the wail of sadness
Goes shivering through my heart.
We met in perfect gladness:
In hopeless pain we part.
| The Poetical Works of George Barlow | |