 | Poems of Sidney Lanier |  |
43
A DEDICATION.
TO CHARLOTTE CUSHMAN.
As Love will carve dear names upon a tree,
Symbol of gravure on his heart to be,
Symbol of gravure on his heart to be,
So thought I thine with loving text to set
In the growth and substance of my canzonet;
In the growth and substance of my canzonet;
But, writing it, my tears begin to fall—
This wild-rose stem for thy large name 's too small!
This wild-rose stem for thy large name 's too small!
Nay, still my trembling hands are fain, are fain
Cut the good letters though they lap again;
Cut the good letters though they lap again;
Perchance such folk as mark the blur and stain
Will say, It was the beating of the rain;
Will say, It was the beating of the rain;
Or, haply these o'er-woundings of the stem
May loose some little balm, to plead for them.
May loose some little balm, to plead for them.
1876.
| Poems of Sidney Lanier | |