Page:Collected poems Robinson, Edwin Arlington.djvu/297

 First having made me crazy, had there been Judicious distance and wise absences To keep the two of us inquisitive.' " "I fear you bow your unoffending head Before a load that should be mine," said he; "If so, you led me on by listening. You should have shrieked and jumped, and then fled yelling; That's the best way when a man talks too long. God's pity on me if I love your feet More now than I could ever love the face Of any one of all those Vivians You summoned out of nothing on the night When I saw towers. I'll wander and amend." At that she flung the noose of her soft arms Around his neck and kissed him instantly: "You are the wisest man that ever was, And I've a prayer to make : May all you say To Vivian be a part of what you knew Before the curse of her unquiet head Was on your shoulder, as you have it now, To punish you for knowing beyond knowledge. You are the only one who sees enough To make me see how far away I am From all that I have seen and have not been; You are the only thing there is alive Between me as I am and as I was When Merlin was a dream. You are to listen When I say now to you that I'm alone. Like you, I saw too much ; and unlike you I made no kingdom out of what I saw Or none save this one here that you must rule, Believing you are ruled. I see too far To rule myself. Time's way with you and me Is our way, in that we are out of Time And out of tune with Time. We have this place,