Give All to Love

    Obey thy heart；

    Friends kindred days

    Estate good fame

    Plans credit and the Muse—

    Nothing refuse.

    'Tis a brave master；

    Let it have scope：

    Follow it utterly¹

    Hope beyond hope：

    High and more high

    It dives into noon

    With wing unspent

    Untold² intent；

    But it is a god

    Knows its own path

    And the outlets³ of the sky.

    It was never for the mean；

    It requireth courage stout⁴

    Souls above doubt

    Valour unbending：

    Such 'twill reward；—

    They shall return

    More than they were

    And ever ascending⁵.

    Leave all for love；

    Yet hear me yet

    One word more thy heart behoved

    One pulse more of firm endeavour—

    Keep thee to-day

    To-morrow for ever

    Free as an Arab

    Of thy beloved.

    Cling with life to the maid；

    But when the surprise

    First vague shadow of surmise⁶

    Flits across her bosom⁷ young

    Of a joy apart from thee

    Free be she fancy-free；

    Nor thou detain her vesture's hem⁸

    Nor the palest rose she flung

    From her summer diadem⁹.

    Though thou loved her as thyself

    As a self of purer clay；

    Though her parting dims the day

    Stealing grace from all alive；

    Heartily¹⁰ know

    When half-gods go

    The gods arrive.