When my heart wearies, and to rest are gone The friends I loved in youth and leaned upon -- One after one, the faces bright life gave Into the soundless nothing of the grave; When only mothlike through my mind do flit Age-shadowed memories to solace it: Ev'n then, ev'n then, I think thine eyes will be As dark, as tender, and as dear to me. When my hand trembles, and no task remains But needs more cunning than its palm contains; When every step I take but echoes, 'Lo! How lightly and gladly did we long-since go!' Ay, when my head upon an arching spine Nods in the glass unto a face scarce mine: -- Despite all these hard things, one dear shall be Haunting my helplessness -- the ghost of thee. By feeble candle-light to rest I'll get And in gray dreams walk where the violet Blows sweet -- where once a foolish boy grew hot Lest thou, O dear and far, didst love him not: I shall not know, in dream, what age hath done, But turn to kiss a cheek for ever gone: And I, perchance, shall take thy hand and say Words whereof Death steals not the breath away. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SPOKEN AT A CASTLE GATE by DONALD (GRADY) DAVIDSON CHARLOTTE CORDAY (REVOLUTIONARY TRIBUNAL, JULY 17, 1793) by EDGAR LEE MASTERS THE FUNERAL OF YOUTH: THRENODY by RUPERT BROOKE THE SHIP OF RIO by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE TO MY NOSE by ALFRED HENRY FORRESTER ABOU BEN ADHEM by JAMES HENRY LEIGH HUNT |