 | Australian Lyrics &c |  |
A NEW ARIADNE.
Yes, I suppose that I am happy,
But not as I should be
Had he been all my fancy pictured
When he was wooing me.
But not as I should be
Had he been all my fancy pictured
When he was wooing me.
33
Not that he shows new faults, developed
Or disclosed one by one,
As we know one another better
Than in the days bygone.
Or disclosed one by one,
As we know one another better
Than in the days bygone.
No! he grows wiser, nobler, grander
Before me day by day;
I hear his sayings and his praises
In all men's mouths alway.
Before me day by day;
I hear his sayings and his praises
In all men's mouths alway.
But in the dear old weeks of wooing
He was mine, wholly mine,
His time and thoughts and eyes surrendered
As though I were divine.
He was mine, wholly mine,
His time and thoughts and eyes surrendered
As though I were divine.
You envy me his fame, his wisdom,
His eloquence, his power,
His gift of song: I would you had them
And I but for one hour
His eloquence, his power,
His gift of song: I would you had them
And I but for one hour
Could have my husband, as I knew him
When we were plighting troth,
When I saw nought to take the fancy
Except his mien and youth.
When we were plighting troth,
When I saw nought to take the fancy
Except his mien and youth.
You tell me that he sways a nation,
That all men hark to him,
That, when he smiles, the millions gladden,
And when he frowns are grim.
That all men hark to him,
That, when he smiles, the millions gladden,
And when he frowns are grim.
You tell me that men crown him poet,
That a few lines of his
Can call up tears or waken valour,
Just as their tenour is.
That a few lines of his
Can call up tears or waken valour,
Just as their tenour is.
But you forget that he, who gladdens
The millions with his smile,
Must stint his home in smiles, and someone
Is sorrowful the while.
The millions with his smile,
Must stint his home in smiles, and someone
Is sorrowful the while.
And you forget that all the feeling,
Which overflows in song,
If husbanded and meted duly
Might spread new life among
Which overflows in song,
If husbanded and meted duly
Might spread new life among
34
Those who are drooping for affection
In the drouth of neglect,
Or float the stranded bark in safety
Before she is shipwrecked.
In the drouth of neglect,
Or float the stranded bark in safety
Before she is shipwrecked.
You throng and hail the man that revels
In the glad consciousness
Of pow'r and praise; but who among you
Has thought for the distress
In the glad consciousness
Of pow'r and praise; but who among you
Has thought for the distress
Of the girl-wife, whose whole devotion
Is centred in one man,
Who leans against the window watching
Until her cheek is wan,
Is centred in one man,
Who leans against the window watching
Until her cheek is wan,
And sees him not? She hears his glory
With mere contentment now;
She would rather have a day of kisses
Imprinted on her brow.
With mere contentment now;
She would rather have a day of kisses
Imprinted on her brow.
She would rather hear the simple phrases
Of lovers' yea and nay,
Pour from his lips than all the wisdom
That Solomon could say.
Of lovers' yea and nay,
Pour from his lips than all the wisdom
That Solomon could say.
There's not a poem in creation,
Whose tunefulness could be
To her glad ears compared one moment
With “Nellie, stay with me!”
Whose tunefulness could be
To her glad ears compared one moment
With “Nellie, stay with me!”
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