Page:The Garden of Years.djvu/45



But this I know:—she flung the gauntlet true,

And at the challenge fear shrank back ashamed:

Hope, silver-armored, roused herself anew,

A blast upon the brazen trumpet blew,

And at the call my hand the gage reclaimed.

Wounded, mayhap, in earlier combats maimed,

Yet, as of old, with my escutcheon clean,

A space I sought, where red the pennants flamed,

To see the seat of Love and Beauty’s queen,—

And from the past leaned out the thought of you!

You stepped into my life once more, and lo!

The well-drilled steeds tore loose from every rein:

They whom the years had taught so meek to go

Felt the old breezes past their nostrils blow,

And whirled Love’s chariot to the fore again!

Afresh I knew the rapture and the pain

Of your dear voice, so kind, so unconcerned;

Despite my will, the incense, quenched in vain,

With sweeter perfume on your altars burned,

And gowned in gray the temple columns’ snow.