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The Poems of Richard Watson Gilder

Gilder, Richard Watson (1844-1909)

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THE NEW DAY
  
PRELUDE
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PART I
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PART II
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PART III
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 1. 
I—“THE PALLID WATCHER OF THE EASTERN SKIES”
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II—“MY LOVE FOR THEE DOTH MARCH LIKE ARMÈD MEN”
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III—“WHAT WOULD I SAVE THEE FROM?”
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IV—“WHAT WOULD I WIN THEE TO?”
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V—“I WILL BE BRAVE FOR THEE”
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VI—“LOVE ME NOT, LOVE, FOR THAT I FIRST LOVED THEE”
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VII—BODY AND SOUL
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VIII—“THY LOVER, LOVE, WOULD HAVE SOME NOBLER WAY”
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IX—LOVE'S JEALOUSY
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X—LOVE'S MONOTONE
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XI—“ONCE ONLY”
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XII—DENIAL
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XIII—“ONCE WHEN WE WALKED WITHIN A SUMMER FIELD”
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XIV—SONG
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XV—LISTENING TO MUSIC
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XVI—“A SONG OF THE MAIDEN MORN”
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XVII—WORDS IN ABSENCE
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XVIII—SONG
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XIX—THISTLE-DOWN
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XX—“O SWEET WILD ROSES THAT BUD AND BLOW”
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XXI—THE RIVER
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XXII—THE LOVER'S LORD AND MASTER
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XXIII—SONG
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XXIV—“A NIGHT OF STARS AND DREAMS”
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XXV—A BIRTHDAY SONG
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XXVI—“WHAT CAN LOVE DO FOR THEE, LOVE?”
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XXVII—“THE SMILE OF HER I LOVE”
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XXVIII—FRANCESCA AND PAOLO
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XXIX—THE UNKNOWN WAY
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XXX—THE SOWER
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XXXI—“WHEN THE LAST DOUBT IS DOUBTED”
  
INTERLUDE
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PART IV
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THE CELESTIAL PASSION
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LYRICS
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TWO WORLDS AND OTHER POEMS
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THE GREAT REMEMBRANCE AND OTHER POEMS
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IN PALESTINE AND OTHER POEMS
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POEMS
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“IN THE HIGHTS”
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THE FIRE DIVINE
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IN HELENA'S GARDEN

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V—“AND WERE THAT BEST!”

And were that best, Love, dreamless, endless sleep!
Gone all the fury of the mortal day—
The daylight gone, and gone the starry ray!
And were that best, Love, rest serene and deep!
Gone labor and desire; no arduous steep
To climb, no songs to sing, no prayers to pray,
No help for those who perish by the way,
No laughter 'mid our tears, no tears to weep!
And were that best, Love, sleep with no dear dream,
Nor memory of anything in life—
Stark death that neither help nor hurt can know!
O, rather, far, the sorrow-bringing gleam,
The living day's long agony and strife!
Rather strong love in pain; the waking woe!
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