"While I should make rejoinder" (then "All, books taught, art brought, life's whole strife, "Painful results since precious, just "Were fitly exchanged, in wise disgust, "For two cheeks freshened by youth and sea? "All for a nosegay!- what came first; "With fields on flower, untried each side; "I rally, need my books and men, "And find a nosegay': drop it, then, "No match yet made for best or worst!" That ended me. You judged the porch We left by, Norman; took our look At sea and sky; wondered so few Find out the place for air and view; And then, good-bye! Years ten since then: Now I may speak : you fool, for all Your lore! WHо made things plain in vain? What was the sea for? What, the grey Sad church, that solitary day, Crosses and graves and swallows' call? Was there nought better than to enjoy? No feat which, done, would make time break, And let us pent-up creatures through Into eternity, our due? No forcing earth teach heaven's employ? No wise beginning, here and now, What cannot grow complete (earth's feat) No grasping at love, gaining a share Let the mere star-fish in his vault He, whole in body and soul, outstrips But what's whole, can increase no more, Vilely; her vogue has had its day. TOO LATE HERE was I with my arm and heart And brain, all yours for a word, a want Had her lover, that's lost, love's proof to show! But I cannot show it; you cannot speak From the churchyard neither, miles removed, Though I feel by a pulse within my cheek, Which stabs and stops, that the woman I loved Needs help in her grave and finds none near, Wants warmth from the heart which sends it-so! Did I speak once angrily, all the drear days I used to sit and look at my life As it rippled and ran till, right before, But either I thought, "They may churn and chide "Yet I see just a thread escape, deploy "Through the evening-country, silent and safe, "And it suffers no more till it finds the sea." Or else I would think, " Perhaps some night "When new things happen, a meteor-ball "May slip through the sky in a line of light, But, dead! All's done with: wait who may, Oh, my soul's sentence, sounding still, "And the man that was none of hers may go!" There's only the past left: worry that! Wreak, like a bull, on the empty coat, Rage, its late wearer is laughing at! Tear the collar to rags, having missed his throat; Strike stupidly on-" This, this and this, "Where I would that a bosom received the blow!" I ought to have done more: once my speech, Nor, folding their arms, stare fate in the face. And borne you away to a rock for us two, Somewhere: your slave, see, born in his place!" What did the other do? You be judge! Look at us, Edith! Here are we both! Who ever heard that another, free As I, young, prosperous, sound and sane, Poured life out, proffered it-"Half a glance "Of those eyes of yours and I drop the glass!" Handsome, were you? 'Tis more than they held, More than they said; I was 'ware and watched: I was the 'scapegrace, this rat belled The cat, this fool got his whiskers scratched: Each soon made his mind up; so and so And muttered of peace where he had no part : On the whole, you were let alone, I think! Oh, heart of mine, marked broad with her mark, Tekel, found wanting, set aside, Scorned! See, I bleed these tears in the dark If it would only come over again! -Time to be patient with me, and probe This heart till you punctured the proper vein, Just to learn what blood is: twitch the robe From that blank lay-figure your fancy draped, Prick the leathern heart till the-verses spirt! And late it was easy; late, you walked Where a friend might meet you; Edith's name |