Remembrance

Cold in the earth, the deep snow piled above thee!

Far, far removed, cold in the dreary grave!

Have I forgot, my Only Love, to love thee,

Severed at last by Time's all wearing wave?

Cold in the earth, and fifteen wild Decembers

From those brown hills have melted into spring

Faithful indeed the spirit that remembers

After years of change and suffering!

Sweet love of youth, forgive if I forget thee

While the World's tide is bearing me along;

[Other desires and darker hopes beset me

Hopes which obscure but cannot do thee wrong]

No other Sun has lightened up my heaven;

No other Star has ever shone for me;

All my life's bliss from thy dear life was given

all my life's bliss is in the grave with thee.

But when the days of golden dreams had perished

Even despair was powerless to destroy

[Then I did learn how existence could be cherished

Strengthened and fed without the aid of joy]

Then did I check the tears of useless passion,

Weaned my young soul from yearning after thine;

[Sternly denied its burning wish to hasten

Down to that tomb already more then mine]

And even yet, I dare not let it languish

Dare not indulge in Memory's rapturous pain;

Once drinking deep of that divinest anguish,

How could I seek the empty world again?