University of Virginia Library


386

FAREWELL.

Hear me, hear me, now!
By this heaven less pure than thou,
Fare thee well!
By this living light
Less bright,
Fare thee well!
By the boundless sea
Of mine agony,
Fare thee well!
That unfathomed sea
Which must roll from me to thee,
Must roll from thee to me,
Fare thee well!
By the tears that I have bled for thee,
Farewell!
By the life's-blood I will shed for thee,
Farewell!
By that field of death and fear
Where I'll fight with sword and spear
The fight I'm fighting here,
Fare thee well!

387

By a form amid the storm,
Fare thee well!
By a sigh above the cry,
Fare thee well!
By the war-cloud and the shout
That shall wrap me round about,
But can never shut thee out,
Fare thee well!
By the wild and bloody close,
When I loose this hell of woes,
And these fires shall eat our foes,
Fare thee well!
By all thou'lt not forget,
Fare thee well!
By the joy when first we met,
Fare thee well!
By the mighty love and pain
Of the frantic arms that strain
What they ne'er shall clasp again
Fare thee well!
By the bliss of our first kiss,
Fare thee well!

388

By the locked love of our last,
Till a passion like a blast
Tore the future from the past,
Fare thee well!
By the nights that I shall weep for thee,
Farewell!
By the vigils I shall keep for thee,
Farewell!
By the memories that will beam of thee,
Farewell!
By the dreams that I shall dream of thee,
Farewell!
By the passion when I wake
Of this heart that will not break,
That can bleed but cannot break,
Fare thee well!
By that holier woe of thine,
Fare thee well!
By thy love more pure than mine,
Fare thee well!
By the days thou shalt hold dear for me.
The lone life thou shalt bear for me,
The grey hairs thou shalt wear for me,
Farewell!

389

By thy good deeds offered up for me,
Farewell!
When thou fillest the wanderer's cup for me,
Farewell!
When thou givest the hungry bread for me,
Farewell!
When thou watchest by the dead for me,
Farewell!
By the faith of thy pure eyes,
By the hopes that shall arise
Day and night to the deaf skies,
Fare thee well!
By that faith I cannot share,
Fare thee well!
By this hopeless heart's despair,
Fare thee well!
By the days I have been glad for thee,
The years I shall be sad for thee,
The hours I shall be mad for thee,
Farewell!