| |
| WHEN, though no loving accents fall | |
| In snows upon thy parchèd brow, | |
| Yet others unto others call | |
| To give the kiss or breathe the vow; | |
| Then let thy love for them beguile | 5 |
| The self-love that would in thee rise, | |
| And bid a softly-welling smile | |
| Warm once again thy frozen eyes. | |
| |
| When o’er thy brain the passion flows | |
| And rolls into thine eyes its tears, | 10 |
| Because thy soul no solace knows | |
| Of answering hopes and answering fears. | |
| Then dash thy tears down as they swell, | |
| And give thy grief a strong control, | |
| And with a stern derision quell | 15 |
| The rising anguish of thy soul. | |
| |
| When thy lone dreams sweet visions see | |
| And loving looks upon thee shine, | |
| And loving lips speak joys to thee | |
| That never, never may be thine; | 20 |
| Then press thy hand hard on thy side, | |
| And force down all the swelling pain; | |
| Trust me, the wound, however wide, | |
| Shall close at last, and heal again. | |
| |
| Think not of what is from thee kept; | 25 |
| Think, rather, what thou hast received: | |
| Thine eyes have smiled, if they have wept; | |
| Thy heart has danced, if it has grieved. | |
| Rich comforts yet shall be thine own; | |
| Yea, God Himself shall wipe thine eyes; | 30 |
| And still His love alike is shown | |
| In what He gives, and what denies. | |
| |
