WISELY you smile at love's sad corollary; It is more wise to smile when hearts are broken, Lest real griefs—become imaginary— Breed morbid phantoms. It is best to reckon Past years but as the pages of romance, Past selves as quaint, fantastic characters, Given reality of passion once, Now too remote for retrospective tears. Think then of the white lilies that we drew From shadowed waters of the still lagoon, The well-remembered fragrance, and the few Dark willows drawn across the falling moon As fragments of a story read to while Frail hours with sentiment; think this, and smile. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A BARD'S EPITAPH by ROBERT BURNS THE COCK AND THE FOX, OR THE TALE OF THE NUN'S PRIEST by GEOFFREY CHAUCER H. BAPTISME (2) by GEORGE HERBERT CAPITAL SQUARE by PATRICK JOHN MCALISTER ANDERSON SPANISH WINGS: SENORITA by H. BABCOCK THE DEAD CHILD by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) |