Ye who have the stable world
In the keeping of your hands.
Flocks and men, the lasting hills,
And the ever-wheeling stars;
Ye who freight with wondrous things 5
The wide-wandering heart of man
And the galleon of the moon,
On those silent seas of foam;
Oh, if ever ye shall grant
Time and place and room enough 10
To this fond and fragile heart
Stifled with the throb of love,
On that day one grave-eyed Fate,
Pausing in her toil, shall say,
“Lo, one mortal has achieved 15
Immortality of love!”
LXXII
I heard the gods reply:
“Trust not the future with its perilous chance;
The fortunate hour is on the dial now.
“To-day be wise and great,
And put off hesitation and go forth 5
With cheerful courage for the diurnal need.
“Stout be the heart, nor slow
The foot to follow the impetuous will,
Nor the hand slack upon the loom of deeds.
“Then may the Fates look up 10
And smile a little in their tolerant way,
Being full of infinite regard for men.”