Page:Poet Lore, volume 34, 1923.djvu/649

 I never loved, but loved that goddess fair Who once had life, and who hath made my heart Her sepulchre. Her long did I adore, And in her loveliness celestial took Such pleasure that, though knowing from the first Full well thy nature and how much of thee Is artifice and fraud, yet I beheld Her eyes in thine eyes with the love-light shining; Loving, I followed thee whilst still she lived, Never deceived, yet by the pleasure born Of that sweet semblance led to tolerate A servitude laborious and long.

Now boast thou, for thou canst. Tell how, alone Of all thy sex, to thee my head I bowed, And how my yet indomitable heart Impulsively its fealty's offering made. Tell how thou'st seen me, trembling and shy, With brows beseeching, standing at thy feet (With grief and shame I blush confessing it!) Beside myself with adoration deep, Each sign, each glance, submissively obeying; How I would pale when thou disdainful wert, And how my face would brighten at thy grace: How thus with every slightest glance or word My brow would burn and all my aspect change. But broken is that spell; my yoke to earth Falls shattered at a blow, and I rejoice. Though heavy are my days with tedium After such long and fruitless servitude, Yet am I well contented to embrace Wisdom with liberty. And if of love And all its noble errors life's bereft, Like a starless night in winter's gloom, Yet for my mortal fate I some support, Some comfort, some amends can find, as I Lie idly here upon the grass, unmoved, And sea, and earth, and sky behold, and smile.