| Arthur Quiller-Couch, comp. The Oxford Book of Victorian Verse. 1922. | | | | ‘Come, let us make Love deathless’ | | By Herbert Trench (1865–1923) |
| | | COME, let us make love deathless, thou and I, | |
| Seeing that our footing on the Earth is brief— | |
| Seeing that her multitudes sweep out to die | |
| Mocking at all that passes their belief. | |
| For standard of our love not theirs we take: | 5 |
| If we go hence to-day, | |
| Fill the high cup that is so soon to break | |
| With richer wine than they! | |
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| Ay, since beyond these walls no heavens there be, | |
| Joy to revive or wasted youth repair, | 10 |
| I’ll not bedim the lovely flame in thee, | |
| Nor sully the sad splendour that we wear. | |
| Great be the love, if with the lover dies | |
| Our greatness past recall, | |
| And nobler for the fading of those eyes | 15 |
| The world seen once for all. | | | | |
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