 | Lord Vyet and Other Poems |  |
31
MY OLD FRIEND
It seems the world was always bright
With some divine unclouded weather,
When we, with hearts and footsteps light,
By lawn and river walked together:
With some divine unclouded weather,
When we, with hearts and footsteps light,
By lawn and river walked together:
There was no talk of me and you,
Of theories with facts to bound them,
We were content to be and do,
And take our fortunes as we found them.
Of theories with facts to bound them,
We were content to be and do,
And take our fortunes as we found them.
We spoke no wistful words of love,
No hint of sympathy and dearness,
Only around, beneath, above,
There ran a swift and subtle nearness.
No hint of sympathy and dearness,
Only around, beneath, above,
There ran a swift and subtle nearness.
32
Each inmost thought was known to each
By some impetuous divination:
We found no need of flattering speech,
Content with silent admiration.
By some impetuous divination:
We found no need of flattering speech,
Content with silent admiration.
I think I never touched your hand,
I took no heed of face or feature,
Only, I thought, on sea or land
Was never such a gracious creature.
I took no heed of face or feature,
Only, I thought, on sea or land
Was never such a gracious creature.
It seems I was not hard to please,
Where'er you led I needs must follow;
For strength you were my Hercules,
For wit and lustre my Apollo.
Where'er you led I needs must follow;
For strength you were my Hercules,
For wit and lustre my Apollo.
The years flew onward: stroke by stroke
They clashed from the impartial steeple,
And we appear to other folk
A pair of ordinary people.
They clashed from the impartial steeple,
And we appear to other folk
A pair of ordinary people.
33
One word, old friend: though fortune flies,
If hope should fail—till death shall sever—
In one dim pair of faithful eyes
You seem as bright, as brave as ever.
If hope should fail—till death shall sever—
In one dim pair of faithful eyes
You seem as bright, as brave as ever.
| Lord Vyet and Other Poems | |