O Hope, who sought'st fulfillment of deep dreams

Beyond those Caucasus of Faith and Truth,—

Twixt silver realms of eld and golden youth

Rolled,—cloudward clustered; whose sonorous streams,

Urned in the palms of Death, gush to his feet:

Unlovely beauty of sad, stirless sight

Mixed in them with eternity of night;—

O Hope, how sad the journey once so sweet!

Dreams crowned with thorns have passed thee on the way;

And Beauties with bare limbs red-bruised and torn;