 | Poems |  |
32
Eld to Youth
Would I exchange
With you, my sweet,
For the clear eye's range,
And the rapid feet,
And the heart's high beat;
With you, my sweet,
For the clear eye's range,
And the rapid feet,
And the heart's high beat;
The white brow smooth,
And the cheek's warm rose,
The lips of youth,
And the lovely glows
That morning knows?
And the cheek's warm rose,
The lips of youth,
And the lovely glows
That morning knows?
Exchange for these
The furrowed brow,
And the feeble knees,
And the hair's thin snow,
And the voice brought low;
The furrowed brow,
And the feeble knees,
And the hair's thin snow,
And the voice brought low;
The eye's eclipse,
And the hand that shakes,
The shaming slips
That memory makes;
And the sevenfold aches?
And the hand that shakes,
The shaming slips
That memory makes;
And the sevenfold aches?
Not I, not I,
O young, O fair,
Who stand so nigh
To the river where
The soul strips bare.
O young, O fair,
Who stand so nigh
To the river where
The soul strips bare.
33
But I may not speak
To tell you why,
O smooth of cheek,
O bright of eye.
Till the day I die.
To tell you why,
O smooth of cheek,
O bright of eye.
Till the day I die.
(Have you not heard
Of the dear white stone
With its written word
By one soul known,
And her Lord alone?)
Of the dear white stone
With its written word
By one soul known,
And her Lord alone?)
| Poems | |