Yet, ever with the impulse strong upon me
Such course to follow out as for the best,
Comes swift the contradictory impression,—
’Twould useless be to put it to the test.
That sympathy which pleads when souls are mated
Is the so woefully lacking,—’tis clear,
It could not prove aught else than effort wasted,—
You are so far,—to try and draw you near.
YOU NEVER GUESSED THE SECRET
YOU never guessed the secret,
Nor have unto to-day.
The truth of it never reached you,
I hid it so well away.
The truth of how I loved you,
Yet spake not, for your sake;
Nor is it easy to put aside
What One so longs to take.
The voice of you, in my musings,
The glance of you, in my dreams;
The feeling, you ever were near me,
Even now, how compelling it seems!
As if but to turn—were to see you;
To know the clasp of your hand;
Yet, I guarded the knowledge carefully,
And you did not understand.
Still the thought of you hurt, and I hungered—
Hungered, day and night,
It will count when the story is ended,
I was able to see aright.
You never guessed the secret,
Nor have unto to-day.
The truth of it never reached you,
I hid it so well away.
THE LIGHT
THE light! the light!
For all is dark,
The light I pray,
My feet stumble,
I cannot find the way.