Her Voice

Her Voice

　　The wild bee reels from bough¹ to bough

　　With his furry² coat and his gauzy wing，

　　Now in a lily-cup， and now

　　Setting a jacinth bell a-swing，

　　In his wandering；

　　Sit closer love： it was here I trow

　　I made that vow³，

　　Swore that two lives should be like one

　　As long as the sea-gull⁴ loved the sea，

　　As long as the sunflower sought the sun， -

　　It shall be， I said， for eternity⁵

　　'Twixt you and me！

　　Dear friend， those times are over and done；

　　Love's web is spun⁶.

　　Look upward where the poplar trees

　　Sway and sway in the summer air，

　　Here in the valley never a breeze

　　Scatters⁷ the thistledown， but there

　　Great winds blow fair

　　From the mighty⁸ murmuring mystical seas，

　　And the wave-lashed leas.

　　Look upward where the white gull screams，

　　What does it see that we do not see？

　　Is that a star？ or the lamp that gleams

　　On some outward voyaging argosy， -

　　Ah！ can it be

　　We have lived our lives in a land of dreams！

　　How sad it seems.

　　Sweet， there is nothing left to say

　　But this， that love is never lost，

　　Keen winter stabs the breasts of May

　　Whose crimson⁹ roses burst his frost，

　　Ships tempest-tossed

　　Will find a harbour in some bay，

　　And so we may.

　　And there is nothing left to do

　　But to kiss once again， and part，

　　Nay¹⁰， there is nothing we should rue¹¹，

　　I have my beauty， - you your Art，

　　Nay， do not start，

　　One world was not enough for two

　　Like me and you.