Page:Lyrics of Life, Coates, 1909.djvu/61

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A FAREWELL

"The utmost for the highest."

Motto of George F. Watts.

Ave! Thou goest from us,
Apart from us to dwell;
Through sacrifice to find thyself.
Ave!—but not farewell.


Thou hast dreamed a dream of Leisure;
Thou hast heard her call thy name,—
The handmaid of enduring Art,
Who feeds the quenchless flame,—
And after the Ideal
Thou wistfully would'st fare,
Before whose shrine 't is blest to wait,—
Though ne'er to enter there!


Go forth,—for thou hast willed it,—
Untrammelled as the sea!
To find new forms of loveliness,
Go forth! Lo, thou art free
To hope, to learn, to listen.
To be breathed upon, inspired,
To wait on the unhasting gods,
With soul intent, untired;