 | The Cup of Quietness |  |
43
KISSES
As flame seeks flame to make one heart of fire,
As music is most sweet
When differing voices in one chord conspire,
So lips of lovers meet;
As music is most sweet
When differing voices in one chord conspire,
So lips of lovers meet;
One burning mantle, woven of delight,
Enfolds the girl and boy;
Their secret fills the universe, their sight
Reels with excess of joy;
Enfolds the girl and boy;
Their secret fills the universe, their sight
Reels with excess of joy;
Their lips have learnt the spell that can extort
Pure gold from clay; their kiss
Lingers, till all eternity seems short
To count their wealth of bliss;
Pure gold from clay; their kiss
Lingers, till all eternity seems short
To count their wealth of bliss;
Life seems a store of pleasure never spent,
Death but the price thereof,
The world a picture of their own content,
Limned by the Master, Love.
Death but the price thereof,
The world a picture of their own content,
Limned by the Master, Love.
44
Alas! that noon should drown morn's light and shade,
Or beauty's bloom decay,
That passion's altar-fire so soon should fade
To ashes cold and grey.
Or beauty's bloom decay,
That passion's altar-fire so soon should fade
To ashes cold and grey.
Care stablishes his dull dominion, kills
Romance, and turns to stone
Illusion's tender heart; and Duty fills
Love's abdicated throne;
Romance, and turns to stone
Illusion's tender heart; and Duty fills
Love's abdicated throne;
Chiller the kiss that custom turns to give,
Fainter and faltering
The music grows, till Love, if yet he live,
Has ceased, poor bird, to sing.
Fainter and faltering
The music grows, till Love, if yet he live,
Has ceased, poor bird, to sing.
Then bleak distrust, estrangement's formal kiss,
The winter of neglect;
Then barren years when lips no longer miss
What lips no more expect;
The winter of neglect;
Then barren years when lips no longer miss
What lips no more expect;
Till comes at last, to answer Love's despair,
Death; and the faded eyes,
No more to be averted, blankly stare;
And love, too late, grows wise;
Death; and the faded eyes,
No more to be averted, blankly stare;
And love, too late, grows wise;
45
Too late the pride that held their souls apart
Is melted, and a flood
Bursts from the frozen fountains of the heart,
Bitter and hot as blood—
Is melted, and a flood
Bursts from the frozen fountains of the heart,
Bitter and hot as blood—
O God! one moment grant ere all be o'er,
Call back one struggling breath!
O Pity! keep the warmth one moment more
On the damp brow of death!—
Call back one struggling breath!
O Pity! keep the warmth one moment more
On the damp brow of death!—
Ah! that the final unfelt kiss had power,
With rain of ceaseless tears,
To summon back one solitary hour
Of all those wasted years!
With rain of ceaseless tears,
To summon back one solitary hour
Of all those wasted years!
| The Cup of Quietness | |