No One So Much As You

No one so much as you

Loves this my clay,

Or would lament as you

Its dying day.

You know me through and through

Though I have not told,

And though with what you know

You are not bold.

None ever was so fair

As I thought you:

Not a word can I bear

Spoken against you.

All that I ever did

For you seemed coarse

Compared with what I hid

Nor put in force.

My eyes scarce dare meet you

Lest they should prove

I but respond to you

And do not love.

We look and understand,

We cannot speak

Except in trifles and

Words the most weak.

For I at most accept

Your love, regretting

That is all: I have kept

Only a fretting

That I could not return

All that you gave

And could not ever burn

With the love you have,

Till sometimes it did seem

Better it were

Never to see you more

Than linger here

With only gratitude

Instead of love -

A pine in solitude

Cradling a dove.