LOVE AFAR

Love, art thou lonely to-day?

Lost love that I never see,

Love that, come noon or come night,

Comes never to me;

Love that I used to meet

In the hidden past, in the land

Of forbidden sweet.

Love! do you never miss

The old light in the days?

Does a hand

Come and touch thee at whiles

Like the wand of old smiles,

Like the breath of old bliss?

Or hast thou forgot,

And is all as if not?

What was it we swore?

‘ Evermore!

I and Thou,’

Ah, but Fate held the pen

And wrote N

Just before:

So that now,

See, it stands,

Our seals and our hands,

‘ I and Thou,

Nevermore!’

We said‘ It is best!’

And then, dear, I went

And returned not again.

Forgive that I stir,

Like a breath in thy hair,

The old pain,

‘ Twas unmeant.

I will strive, I will wrest

Iron peace — it is best.

But, O for thy hand

Just to hold for a space,

For a moment to stand

In the light of thy face;

Translate Then to Now,

To hear‘ Is it Thou?’

And reply

‘ It is I!’

Then, then I could rest,

Ah, then I could wait

Long and late.