| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900. |
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| 459. To M. T. |
| | | By Bayard Taylor |
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| THOUGH thy constant love I share, | |
| Yet its gift is rarer; | |
| In my youth I thought thee fair: | |
| Thou art older and fairer! | |
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| Full of more than young delight | 5 |
| Now day and night are; | |
| For the presence, then so bright, | |
| Is closer, brighter. | |
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| In the haste of youth we miss | |
| Its best of blisses: | 10 |
| Sweeter than the stolen kiss | |
| Are the granted kisses. | |
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| Dearer than the words that hide | |
| The love abiding, | |
| Are the words that fondly chide, | 15 |
| When love needs chiding. | |
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| Higher than the perfect song | |
| For which love longeth, | |
| Is the tender fear of wrong, | |
| That never wrongeth. | 20 |
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| She whom youth alone makes dear | |
| May awhile seem nearer: | |
| Thou art mine so many a year, | |
| The older, the dearer! | |
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