| |
| TWO lovers by a moss-grown spring: | |
| They leaned soft cheeks together there, | |
| Mingled the dark and sunny hair, | |
| And heard the wooing thrushes sing. | |
| O budding time! | 5 |
| O love’s blest prime! | |
| |
| Two wedded from the portal stept: | |
| The bells made happy carolings, | |
| The air was soft as fanning wings, | |
| White petals on the pathway slept. | 10 |
| O pure-eyed bride! | |
| O tender pride! | |
| |
| Two faces o’er a cradle bent: | |
| Two hands above the head were locked; | |
| These pressed each other while they rocked, | 15 |
| Those watched a life that love had sent. | |
| O solemn hour! | |
| O hidden power! | |
| |
| Two parents by the evening fire: | |
| The red light fell about their knees | 20 |
| On heads that rose by slow degrees | |
| Like buds upon the lily spire. | |
| O patient life! | |
| O tender strife! | |
| |
| The two still sat together there, | 25 |
| The red light shone about their knees; | |
| But all the heads by slow degrees | |
| Had gone and left that lonely pair. | |
| O voyage fast! | |
| O vanished past! | 30 |
| |
| The red light shone upon the floor | |
| And made the space between them wide; | |
| They drew their chairs up side by side, | |
| Their pale cheeks joined, and said, | |
| “Once more!” | 35 |
| O memories! | |
| O past that is! | |
| |
