The Project Gutenberg EBook of Songs of Two, by Arthur Sherburne Hardy

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Title: Songs of Two

Author: Arthur Sherburne Hardy

Release Date: August 8, 2004 [EBook #9465]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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SONGS OF TWO

BY ARTHUR SHERBURNE HARDY

1900

SONGS OF TWO

I

Last night I dreamed this dream: That I was dead;
And as I slept, forgot of man and God,
That other dreamless sleep of rest,
I heard a footstep on the sod,
As of one passing overhead,--
And lo, thou, Dear, didst touch me on the breast,
Saying: "What shall I write against thy name
That men should see?"
Then quick the answer came,
"I was beloved of thee."

II

Dear Giver of Thyself when at thy side,
I see the path beyond divide,
Where we must walk alone a little space,
I say: "Now am I strong indeed
To wait with only memory awhile,
Content, until I see thy face,--"
Yet turn, as one in sorest need,
To ask once more thy giving grace,
So, at the last
Of all our partings, when the night
Has hidden from my failing sight
The comfort of thy smile,
My hand shall seek thine own to hold it fast;
Nor wilt thou think for this the heart ingrate,
Less glad for all its past,
Less strong to bear the utmost of its fate.

III

As once through forest shade I went,
I heard a flower call, and bent--
Then strove to go. Should love not spare?
"Nay, Dearest, this is love's sweet share
Of selfishness. For which is best,
To die alone or on thy breast?
If thou hast heard my call,
Take fearlessly, thou art my guest--
To give is all"
Hush! O Love, thou casuist!

IV

Ask me not why,--I only _know_,
It were thy loss if I could show
Thee cause as for a lesser thing.
Remember how we searched the spring,
But found no source,--so clear the sky
Within its earth bound depths did lie,
Give to thy joy its wings,
And to thy heart its song,