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To Hsü Shih-t'ing

I hear that the peonies are magnificent
in the famous gardens now
and that rich families will be enjoying them
until spring is almost gone.
What a shame! I too am a man who loves to look at flowers
but I am much too busy, watering my vegetable patch!

The Wanderer

Love comes back to his vacant dwelling,—
—The old, old Love that we knew of yore!
—We see him stand by the open door,
With his great eyes sad, and his bosom swelling.

He makes as though in our arms repelling,
—He fain would lie as he lay before;—
Love comes back to his vacant dwelling,—
—The old, old Love that we knew of yore!

Ah, who shall keep us from over-spelling
—That sweet forgotten, forbidden lore!
—E'ndash as we doubt in our hearts once more,
With a rush of tears to our eyelids welling,
Love comes back to his vacant dwelling.

Say “Au Revoir,” but Not “Good-bye”

1. Say “au revoir,” . . . . but not “good-bye,” . . . . For parting brings . . . . a bitter
sigh; The past is gone, . . . . though mem'ry gives One clinging
thought . . . . the future lives; Our duty first, . . . . love must not
lead, . . . . What might have been, . . . . had fate decreed; 'Twere better
far . . . . . had we not met, . . . . I loved you then, . . . . I love you yet. . . .
2. The waters glide, . . . . the oars lie still, . . . . A rippling laugh, . . . a word at
will: Where angels fear, . . . . fools dare to tread, Shall live for

I Just Found Out about Love

I just found out about love
And I like it,
I like it;
I like what love has been doing to me.
I hold you close in my arms
And I like it,
I like it;
Oh, what a wonderful future I see.
It's a one-time only,
It's a lifetime deal,
And I know it's real,
I can tell by the way that I feel.
Right now I'm livin' it up
And I like it,
I like it.
Hey, you! Give me a clue,
What's love doin' to you?
Looks like
You could be liking it, too.

Love Triumphant

From the third heaven I downe am come,
Loves powerfull Queene, to visit Rome;
To visit you, deare Latian plaines,
Glad hills, lovd walls, where soft peace raigns;
Where those Heroick Soules that are
So lovd in peace, so feard in war,
Had both a cradle and an urne.
Once more I back to earth returne,
Quitting the highest spheare for you,
And Paphos and Cythera too.
Yet would I not be idle here,
But as my selfe, Loves Queene, appeare.
I come to wake the sleeping fire
In coldest breasts, or new inspire,
And to revenge the pride of those

Love

Who's this pretty wingèd boy?
'Tis Love, mischievous and coy.
Old as time he still is young,
Suasive is his silver tongue.
Frequently perdu he lies
In the depths of laughing eyes;
Wealth and ease and luxury,
Youth, desire and levity,—
These his close companions be.
Beauty and seductive smiles,
Agacerie, and wanton wiles
Nourish him, and honeyed kisses.
He the soul with grief can wring,
And can dreams of rapture bring.
Hopes, and fears, and dainty blisses
Are his guerdons, and his darts
Havoc make with human hearts.

The Womanhood of France

The womanhood of France is travestied,
Held up to scorn
By the lewd Art of France. Yet many a heart
In France is nobler than all Gallic Art:
Love hath not wholly died,
Though love may mourn

Though sweet-lipped harlots on the Gallic stage
Still hold their own,
Sweet-lipped, sweet-bosomed, but with hearts as black
And deadly as the midnight's moonless rack,
Yet Hugo thrilled the age
With sound as of a sudden trumpet blown.

Hugo, with Shakespeare's sweetness in his eyes,
And in his heart
A strength as of the Northern waves that break,

A Flower unto Many

Thou dost not know the numberless sweet heats
To whom the gentle knowledge of thee came
Through the soft messages my song imparts:
Thou dost not know how many gold-tipped darts,
Winged, beautiful, abundant, bright with flame,
My soul, on fire with loving thee, doth aim
Against the steel-bound cuirass of the world,
That so it might be pierced with utter shame,
In that it has not known and loved of old
The name that I from height to height have hurled.
There is not any flower, with heart of gold,
But hath in darkness of the summer night

E. C. B

Before the grass grew over me,
I knew one good man through and through
And knew a soul and body joined
Are stronger than the heavens are blue.

A wisdom worthy of thy joy,
O great heart, read I as I ran;
Now, though men smite me on the face,
I cannot curse the face of man.

I loved the man I saw yestreen
Hanged with his babe's blood on his palms.
I loved the man I saw to-day
Who knocked not when he came with alms.

Hush!—for thy sake I even faced
The knowledge that is worse than hell;
And loved the man I saw but now