THAT ONE SHOULD LOVE ME

That one should love me is enough,

Be my path smooth or be it rough;

Though on my head no splendours shine,

Love crowns me with the victor-vine.

If on my ears no plaudits fall

Proclaiming me from stall to stall,

Behind the scenes I wait my turn,

Who saw two eyes with longing burn.

Somewhere within that audience

Gleamed golden Love's magnificence;

I stood triumphant for a space

Held by the rapture on one face.

Out of the discord of to-day,

Hark how the well-tuned harp-strings play!

Peace, O my Soul! One song is true,

Though thunder-clouds conceal the blue.

Down in the lowest deep of hell

One word of love upon me fell;

Forthwith my flame-scarred face was bold,

Uplifted to a gate of gold.

Upon my path a phantom form

Threatened with terror as of storm,

Smote me with lightning; I was strong,

Hearing the cadence of a song.

A while within an awful wood,

Uncertain of the path I stood;

A shout of laughter from a tree

Where lurked a devil, frightened me.

Then there was whispering of leaves,

Soft as of swallows under eaves:

“I love you, love you!” Lo! a light

Sundered the murkiness of night.

Three times I fell, three times I rose

To face the menacing of foes —

What gave me strength again to stand?

Out of the dark I felt a hand!

Out of the dark and dread of death,

Upon my brow I felt a breath;

And by the brink of that abyss

The consolation of a kiss.

Past many moors of pain I trod

Impeded by the clinging clod,

Until within one waking morn

Love in response to love was born.

Love in response to love was mine!

The water-jar was filled with wine,

The broken cruse again restored,

And green had grown the withered gourd.