James Russell Lowell (1819–1891)

ONLY as thou herein canst not see me,

Only as thou the same low voice canst hear

Which is the morning song of every sphere

And which thou erewhile heardst beside the sea

Or in the still night flowing solemnly,

Only so love this rhyme and so revere;

All else cast from thee, haply with a tear

For one who, rightly taught, yet would not be

A voice obedient; some things I have seen

With a clear eye, and otherwhile the earth

With a most sad eclipse hath come between

That sunlight which is mine by right of birth

And what I know with grief I ought to have been,—

Yet is short-coming even something worth.