Page:Poems and ballads (IA balladspoems00swinrich).pdf/56

 As a star feels the sun and falters, Touched to death by diviner eyes— As on the old gods' untended altars The old fire of withered worship dies—

(Once only, once the shrine relighted Sees the last fiery shadow shine, Last shadow of flame and faith benighted, Sees falter and flutter and fail the shrine)

So once with fiery breath and flying Your winged heart touched mine and went, And the swift spirits kissed, and sighing, Sundered and smiled and were content.

That only touch, that feeling only, Enough we found, we found too much; For the unlit shrine is hardly lonely As one the old fire forgets to touch.