To wake then
In the dark, and ache then
Until the dark is gone—­
Lonely, yet not alone;
Hearing another’s breath
All the quiet beneath,
Knowing one sleeps near
That day held dear

And dreams held dear; but now
In this sharp moment—­how
Share the moment’s sweetness,
Forgo its completeness,
Nor be alone
Now the dark is grown
Spiritual and deep
More than in dreams and sleep?

O, it is pain, ’tis need
That so will plead
For a little loneliness. 
If it be pain to miss
Loved touch, look and lip,
Companionship
Yet is verier pain
Then, then

In that dark silent hour
When the wind wants power,
And you, near or far, sleep,
And your released thoughts toward me creep
While I, imprisoned, awake,
Ache—­ache
To be for one
Long, little moment with myself alone.

ONCE THERE WAS TIME

Let no tears fall
  If then they fell not. 
If eyes told nothing,
  Now let them tell not. 
Once there was time
  For words, looks and tears: 
That time is past, is past—­
  Heart, thou shalt tell not!

Beyond any speech
  Is silence bitter,
As between love and love
  Nothing is sweeter. 
Once there was time, time yet
  For words, looks and tears ... 
Past, past, past, past—­
  Nothing so bitter!

Now if tears come
  That then fell never;
If eyes such sad, sad things
  Look now for ever;
If words, looks or tears
  Tremble with telling,
Oh, what returning voice is it whispers
  Never, never, never!

SCATTER THE SILVER ASH LIKE SNOW

O, what insect is it
That burrows in the heart and frets
The heart’s near nerves,
Leaving its unclean
Stigmata in the mind serene,
Making the proud how mean?

It is not common hate,
Anger has not such deadly cunning
To annul, to chill. 
Wild anger is not
So cunning even while so hot;
Hate is too soon forgot.

There is no sword so sharp
With lightnings as the wanton tongue;
Nothing that burns like words—­
Bubbling flames that spread
In the now unspiritual head,
By sleepless fevers fed.

O evil words that are
The knives of desolating thought! 
And though words be still
The hot eyes yet dart
Burning deaths from this mad heart
Into that torn heart.

O Love, forget, forget,
Put by that glittering edge, put by;
Slay the insect with light;
Smother that smoky glow,
Scatter the silver ash like snow
When thy spring airs blow!

JUSTIFICATION

From far-off it came near
Deep-charactered and clear,
Until I saw the features close to mine
And the eyes unhappy shine.