Page:Poems and ballads (IA poemsballads00swinrich).pdf/239

 Like colours in the sea, like flowers, Like a cat’s splendid circled eyes That wax and wane with love for hours, Green as green flame, blue-grey like skies, And soft like sighs—

And all these only like your name, And your name full of all of these. I say it, and it sounds the same— Save that I say it now at ease, Your name, Félise.

I said “she must be swift and white, And subtly warm, and half perverse, And sweet like sharp soft fruit to bite, And like a snake’s love lithe and fierce.” Men have guessed worse.

What was the song I made of you Here where the grass forgets our feet As afternoon forgets the dew? Ah that such sweet things should be fleet, Such fleet things sweet!

As afternoon forgets the dew, As time in time forgets all men, As our old place forgets us two, Who might have turned to one thing then, But not again.