Lays of Leisure Hours :: :: University of Virginia Library

And would'st thou—would'st thou have it so,
My life—my love—my all below?
And is it thy sweet sovereign will?
And dost thou claim—command it still?—
So let it be then!—mine own treasure!
So let all be that gives thee pleasure!

All things but thee have past away,
Not for myself I hope or pray;

Not for myself can seek or strive,
For love and thee alone I live—
One aim is mine, and one endeavour
To serve thee and to stead thee, ever.

All things but thee have past away
(Which charmed me in a former day!)
From my clear, couched, and piercing eyes!—
I mock at Life's light vanities—
From my long fatal dream arising,
Abhorring these things and despising.

Yet, e'en these must I learn to prize,
And look upon more loving-wise,
If they thy dear regard can gain,
And clasp thee in their twining chain;
For with thine eyes would I be seeing,
I would exist but in thy being.

These must I cherish—these must love,
If thou applaud them and approve,

And in all honour hold them still,
If they can bid thy young heart thrill
With aught of pride—with aught of pleasure—
My only hope—my only treasure!

I laugh to scorn Life's petty strife,
And all that appertains to Life—
But, Oh! when it regardeth thee,
Its Shadows seem Reality!
And all I scarce deemed worth disdaining,
Is then my inmost soul enchaining!

Still when I think of thee—of thee,
Those things I scorned appear to be
Too costly in their preciousness—
Too mighty or to curse or bless!—
Such power o'er me art thou possessing,
My only bliss—my only blessing!

The veriest trifle—lightest toy,
That can bring thee a dream of joy,

To me at once is proudly worth
All the heaped treasure of the Earth!
So much on Passion am I pouring
The Soul that lives but in adoring!

And would'st thou—would'st thou have it so?
I must obey before I know,
Before thy word is breathed—'tis done,
For thee—in thee I live alone!—
So much I love thee and so madly,
Oh! how supremely—though how sadly!