BENEDICTUS

You bless me, then you turn away your head —

“Never again, dear. I have blessed you so,

My lips upon your lips; between must flow

The river — Oh the river!” Thus you said.

The river — Oh the river, and the sun;

Stream that we may not cross, sun that is joy:

Flow as thou must; shine on in full employ —

Shine through her eyes thou; let the river run.

O lady, to your liegeman speak. You say:

“Dream no more dreams; yourself be as am I”

Your hands clasped to your face, so shutting out the day.

An instant, then to me, your low good-bye —

Good-night, good-bye; and then the social reign,

The lights, the songs, the flowers — and the pain.