 | Leaves of life |  |
38
AT THE GATE OF EDEN.
Dear, so long through dusk or light
We have walked life's ways together,
Holding close when sun was bright,
Closer still in cloudy weather:
Blind with use, you hardly know
What it is that binds us so.
We have walked life's ways together,
Holding close when sun was bright,
Closer still in cloudy weather:
Blind with use, you hardly know
What it is that binds us so.
Just our clasping hands, my dear,
That cling close to one another,
These have linked us year by year,
And these fetters, and no other,
Bind us now—for good or ill
We are joined but by our will.
That cling close to one another,
These have linked us year by year,
And these fetters, and no other,
Bind us now—for good or ill
We are joined but by our will.
For our old love's sake—hold fast,
Tightly clasp—relaxing never;
Hold with me, our heart-warm past
Loosed but once, 'tis lost for ever:
Then will rush 'twixt you and me
All the waves of all the sea.
Tightly clasp—relaxing never;
39
Loosed but once, 'tis lost for ever:
Then will rush 'twixt you and me
All the waves of all the sea.
Once divided so, we may
Strive our lives long, vainly, vainly,
To outface the surge and spray,
Touch, and see each other plainly:
Nothing done can be undone
While the earth spins round the sun!
Strive our lives long, vainly, vainly,
To outface the surge and spray,
Touch, and see each other plainly:
Nothing done can be undone
While the earth spins round the sun!
I my arms may open wide,
You may nestle in my breast
Sated but unsatisfied,
Unpossessing, unpossessed:
Knowing that between our souls
All this sea of parting rolls.
You may nestle in my breast
Sated but unsatisfied,
Unpossessing, unpossessed:
Knowing that between our souls
All this sea of parting rolls.
Then regret will eat our heart,
Till despair devours regret,
Knowing we are more apart
Than before we ever met:
Most divided by that past,
When we held each other fast.
Till despair devours regret,
Knowing we are more apart
Than before we ever met:
40
When we held each other fast.
We shall sigh, when sighs are vain,
‘O, lost days that would not linger!’
You will rule your world again,
I shall sing—a soulless singer:
Each will look with longing eyes
On our foregone paradise.
‘O, lost days that would not linger!’
You will rule your world again,
I shall sing—a soulless singer:
Each will look with longing eyes
On our foregone paradise.
Paradise, where now we stand,
Once lost, nothing can retrieve it;
Still we hold it—hand in hand,
Must we lose it? Need we leave it?
It is ours, my sweet, to-day;
Shall we go, or shall we stay?
Once lost, nothing can retrieve it;
Still we hold it—hand in hand,
Must we lose it? Need we leave it?
It is ours, my sweet, to-day;
Shall we go, or shall we stay?
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