As when the Moon, emerging from a cloud,
  Sheds on the dreary earth her gracious light,
  A smile comes o’er the frowning brow of Night,
  Who hastens to withdraw her sable shroud;
  And then the lurking shadows’ dark-robed crowd,
  Pursued with glitt’ring shafts, is put to flight;
  And, robed in silv’ry raiment, soft and bright
  The humblest flower as a Queen seems proud;

  So when thou com’st to me in Beauty’s bloom,
  And on thy face soft Pity’s graces shine,
  Thou can’st dispel the heavy shades of gloom
  From my sad heart, which ceases then to pine;
  And Hope and Joy their quenched beams relume
  And gild the universe with light divine.

XII

ETERNAL JOY

  Truth is but as the eye of God doth see;
  And Love is truth, and Love hath made thee mine. 
  What though on earth our lives may not combine,
  Love makes us one for all Eternity! 
  God gives us to each other, bids us be
  Each other’s soul’s fulfilment, makes Love shine
  Upon our souls as His own light divine. 
  An effluence of His own deity.

  Why ask for more?  Our union is above
  All earthly unions, ours those heights serene
  Where Love alone is Heav’n and Heav’n is Love—­
  Where never comes the world’s harsh breath between
  Hope’s fruits and flow’rs.  Ah, why then earthward move,
  Where pure and perfect bliss hath never been?

XIII

CONSTANCY

  Ah, Love, I know that to my love thou art,
  And must be, in this life, a dream,—­a name! 
  But be it joy or grief, or praise or blame,
  I give thee all the worship of my heart. 
  ’Tis not for Love to bid life’s cares depart;
  Love wings the soul for Heaven whence it came. 
  Such love from Petrarch’s soul did Laura claim,
  And Beatrice to Dante did impart.

  To thee I turn,—­be thou or near or far,
  And whether on my love thou frown or smile,—­
  As, in mid-ocean, to some fairy isle
  Palm-crowned; as, in the heav’ns, to eve’s bright star
  Whose pure white fire allures the vision, while
  Myriads of paler lights unnoticed are!

XIV

CALM AFTER STORM

  Thou hast but seen what but mine eyes have shown—­
  Mine eyes that gazing on thee picture Heaven;
  Thou hast but heard what but my voice hath given—­
  My voice that takes from thine a calmer tone. 
  Ah! couldst thou know all that my heart hath known,
  While with Despair’s dark phantoms it hath striven—­
  From faith to doubt, from joy to sorrow driven,
  Till rescued and redeemed by Love alone,—­

  Thou wouldst not marvel were my cloudless brow
  O’er-clouded, were my aspect less serene! 
  Love smiles on Death, unveils his mystery
  Of joy and grief, and Love bids me avow
  This truth, with chastened heart and tranquil mien,—­
  ‘Less pure Love’s bliss if less Love’s agony.’