DEPENDENCE.
She.
Since thou hast come, dear heart, I live no more
Save in the hours when thou art by. Thy grave,
Full penetrating voice and speech I crave,
And all thy cares.... I wonder how before
This satisfied companionship I bore
The old dull days, for thou with marriage gave
So much! And yet,—bear with me, dear!—My brave
Heart seems defenceless now! Those days of yore
Full of ambitious dreams, beyond my reach
Have vanished far. O love me! since the whole
Of life is narrowed down to this! and teach
Me willing subjugation, as years roll,—
Be more than lost ambitions I beseech,—
My lord and husband, since thou hast my soul!
He.
Dear one, dost think thou art alone in this
Great overwhelming conflict of love’s might?
Dost think thou art dependent, and my right
Is subjugating thee? O sweet, the bliss
Of marriage lies beyond such talk as this!
True love is most dependent, and all right
Is yours as mine, since our supreme delight
Lies with each other; then let us not miss
The joy of this full time by hint of war,
Or agonize ourselves with distant fears,—
A truce to these misgivings! With such store
Of love we’ll front our happiness, that years
Will bring us compensations more and more.
I master? nay, a beggar,—see these tears!
John Armstrong.