But One

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But One
by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
From Poems of Passion (1883)


The year has but one June, dear friend;
       The year has but one June;
And when that perfect month doth end,
The robin's song, though loud, though long,
       Seems never quite in tune.

The rose, though still its blushing face
       By bee and bird is seen,
May yet have lost that subtle grace—
That nameless spell the winds know
       Which makes it garden's queen.

Life's perfect June, love's red, red rose,
       Have burned and bloomed for me.
Though still youth's summer sunlight glows;
Though thou art kind, dear friend, I find
       I have no heart for thee.


PD-icon.svg This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1923.

The author died in 1919, so this work is also in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 80 years or less. This work may also be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.