 | 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition |  |
THE LAST KISS.
Old they called me, she was younger
Far, and fair in every part—
Not too old, though, then to hunger
Fiercely for her in my heart;
When was love, that laughs at distance,
Makes the infinite its stage,
Weakly stooping to resistance,
Limited by straw like age?
Paled the hour when we were parted,
As it ever ends with this,
And I gave her, broken-hearted,
The last kiss.
Far, and fair in every part—
Not too old, though, then to hunger
Fiercely for her in my heart;
When was love, that laughs at distance,
Makes the infinite its stage,
108
Limited by straw like age?
Paled the hour when we were parted,
As it ever ends with this,
And I gave her, broken-hearted,
The last kiss.
Sweet she was with human sweetness,
Taking little, giving much,
Touched with earthly incompleteness,
Yet more beautiful for such;
Shyly showing the affection,
Fools who knew not fancied cold,
Perfect in her imperfection,
Mixed of mortal clay and gold;
But at length upon the glory
Fell the mourning none may miss,
Came to close our tender story,
The last kiss.
Taking little, giving much,
Touched with earthly incompleteness,
Yet more beautiful for such;
Shyly showing the affection,
Fools who knew not fancied cold,
Perfect in her imperfection,
Mixed of mortal clay and gold;
But at length upon the glory
Fell the mourning none may miss,
Came to close our tender story,
The last kiss.
Lovely in her faults, and reaching
Heights that others did not gain
With their virtues, and the teaching
Lightly won without a pain;
Proud and wayward and imperious
Still, and no one's easy thrall,
Maidenly and coy, mysterious,
But a woman true in all;
Ah, upon our Eden darkened
Change, and rose the serpent's hiss,
As I gave her lips, and harkened,
The last kiss.
Heights that others did not gain
With their virtues, and the teaching
Lightly won without a pain;
Proud and wayward and imperious
Still, and no one's easy thrall,
Maidenly and coy, mysterious,
But a woman true in all;
Ah, upon our Eden darkened
Change, and rose the serpent's hiss,
As I gave her lips, and harkened,
The last kiss.
Earth and heaven, of all their treasure,
Devil's gift and angel grace,
Joy and sorrow without measure,
Gathered in that moment space;
Day and night of wondrous fashion,
Ocean breadth and whirlwind sweep,
Every thrill of every passion,
Met in one delirium deep;
Life no fiction ever moulded,
An eternity of bliss,
Woe of hottest hell enfolded
The last kiss.
Devil's gift and angel grace,
Joy and sorrow without measure,
Gathered in that moment space;
Day and night of wondrous fashion,
Ocean breadth and whirlwind sweep,
Every thrill of every passion,
Met in one delirium deep;
Life no fiction ever moulded,
An eternity of bliss,
Woe of hottest hell enfolded
The last kiss.
| 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition | |