The Secret Will you be sad, will you be sweet, 489 "AWAKE, MY HEART" AWAKE, my heart, to be loved, awake, awake! She too that loveth awaketh and hopes for thee: And if thou tarry from her,—if this could be,— Awake! The land is scattered with light, and see, Lo, all things wake and tarry and look for thee: THE SECRET NIGHTINGALES warble about it All night under blossom and star; The sun, he doth mount but to find it, But more doth a man's heart mind it- Over the gray leagues of ocean A million lamps in the blue; But a lover, he shall be it, If one sweet maid is true. George Edward Woodberry [1855 THE ROSE OF STARS WHEN Love, our great Immortal, And down from Eden's portal Brought this sweet life to be, At the sublime archangel He laughed with veiled eyes, For he bore within his bosom The seed of Paradise He hid it in his bosom, And there such warmth it found, It brake in bud and blossom, And the rose fell on the ground: As the green light on the prairie, As the red light on the sea, Through fragrant belts of summer Came this sweet life to be. And the grave archangel seeing, Love is Strong And sadly moving heavenward Hail Earth, the Rose of Stars. SONG OF EROS From "Agathon" WHEN love in the faint heart trembles, And the eyes with tears are wet, O, tell me what resembles Thee, young Regret? Violets with dewdrops drooping, Lilies o'erfull of gold, Roses in June rains stooping, That weep for the cold, Are like thee, young Regret. Bloom, violets, lilies, and roses! But what, young Desire, Like thee, when love discloses Thy heart of fire? The wild swan unreturning, The eagle alone with the sun, The long-winged storm-gulls burning Are like thee, young Desire. George Edward Woodberry [1855 LOVE IS STRONG A VIEWLESS thing is the wind, 491 And a viewless thing is Love, And a name that vanisheth; But her strength is the wind's wild strength above, For she conquers shame and Death. Richard Burton (1859 A QUESTION AND AN ANSWER The Question What is Love? Is Love in this, That flies between us, in a kiss? Nay, what is Love? Is Love the zest, The Answer Dearest, Truth is stern, I fear: Love is poor; nay, Love is sorry; Vain delights befool, bewray him. Truth, alas! is hard to bear: But, when the evil days are come, If those same lips, which kiss you now, Then say to your own heart, my Dear: Love is a light, in darkened ways; A staff, in chill, unsteady hands. The Garden of Shadow Speak to your heart, my own, my Dear; 'LOVE ONCE WAS LIKE AN APRIL DAWN" LOVE once was like an April dawn: Song throbbed within the heart by rote, And every tint of rose or fawn Was greeted by a joyous note. How eager was my thought to see Into that morning mystery! Love now is like an August noon, Yet with what words I'd welcome thee- Robert Underwood Johnson [1853 THE GARDEN OF SHADOW LOVE heeds no more the sighing of the wind O bright, bright hair! O mouth like a ripe fruit! Let the wind blow against the perfect flowers, Ernest Dowson [1867-1900] |