The collected poems of Arthur Edward Waite in two volumes ... With a Portrait |
 |
|
|
| I. |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| II. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
A HARD SAYING |
|
| I. |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| II. |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
| XXXIV. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
| XXXVII. |
| XXXVIII. |
| XXXIX. |
| XL. |
| XLI. |
| XLII. |
| XLIII. |
| XLIV. |
| XLV. |
| XLVI. |
| XLVII. |
 | The collected poems of Arthur Edward Waite |  |
273
A HARD SAYING
Unselfish love, which would true aims fulfil,
Must be what men call mean, must make unask'd
The first advances, and a cold response,
Rebuffs and misconceptions overlook,
To prosecute its end, which is to give,
For love's best reasons, unrequited, all
Love's heart and life's devotion.
Must be what men call mean, must make unask'd
The first advances, and a cold response,
Rebuffs and misconceptions overlook,
To prosecute its end, which is to give,
For love's best reasons, unrequited, all
Love's heart and life's devotion.
This confess'd,
Some brief indulgence let the heart enjoy—
From thought set free, from all the weary weight
Of those great ends whereto, since early days
Elected, souls must strive and, striving, see
New fields of labour opening far beyond
Into the infinite. Then, Love, awhile,
Such heights forsaking, unto some green place,
Like this, in vernal hours or in the soft
Luxuriant summer prime, from high degrees
Exemption find—or take the grade of peace,
Renouncing not. With all our doom foreseen,
Such respite gives the greater strength to bear,
Puts by the sense of whole unworthiness,
Or lifts it up into our aid unask'd
Who cannot choose but deem our souls unmeet,
O Love of all, for love of thine and thee!
Yet only love us, and in love like thine,
Our soul's love-flaming shall be meet to hold,
O love beyond all love, the love of thee!
Some brief indulgence let the heart enjoy—
From thought set free, from all the weary weight
Of those great ends whereto, since early days
Elected, souls must strive and, striving, see
New fields of labour opening far beyond
Into the infinite. Then, Love, awhile,
Such heights forsaking, unto some green place,
Like this, in vernal hours or in the soft
Luxuriant summer prime, from high degrees
Exemption find—or take the grade of peace,
Renouncing not. With all our doom foreseen,
Such respite gives the greater strength to bear,
Puts by the sense of whole unworthiness,
Or lifts it up into our aid unask'd
Who cannot choose but deem our souls unmeet,
O Love of all, for love of thine and thee!
Yet only love us, and in love like thine,
Our soul's love-flaming shall be meet to hold,
O love beyond all love, the love of thee!
| The collected poems of Arthur Edward Waite | |