Lady Fair

By Francis Ledwidge

Lady fair, have we not met

In our lives elsewhere ?

Darkling in my mind to-night

Faint fair faces dare

Memory's old unfaithfulness

To what was true and fair.

Long of memory is Regret,

But what Regret has taken flight

Through my memory's silences ?

Lo ! I turn it to the light.

'Twas but a pleasure in distress,

Too faint and far off for redress.

But some light glancing in your hair

And in the liquid of your eyes

Seem to murmur old good-byes

In our lives elsewhere.

Have we not met. Lady fair ?

Poem dated: Londonderry, October 27th, 1916.This poem taken from "Last Songs" by Francis Ledwidge, Published by Herbert Jenkins, London 1918 page 30-31checked and verified JS