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to ———, in absence.
Thy love breathes o'er me in the winds of heaven,
Floats to me on the tides of morning light,
Descends upon me in the calms of even,
And fills with music all the dreamy night.
Floats to me on the tides of morning light,
Descends upon me in the calms of even,
And fills with music all the dreamy night.
It falleth as a robe of pride around me,
A royal vesture rich with purple gleams,—
It is the glory wherewith life hath crowned me,
The large fulfilment of my soul's long dreams!
A royal vesture rich with purple gleams,—
It is the glory wherewith life hath crowned me,
The large fulfilment of my soul's long dreams!
It is a pæan drowning notes of sadness,
It is a great light shutting out all gloom,
It is a fountain of perpetual gladness,
It is a garden of perpetual bloom.
It is a great light shutting out all gloom,
It is a fountain of perpetual gladness,
It is a garden of perpetual bloom.
But to thy nature pride and power belong,
And death-defying courage; what to thee,
With thy great life, thy spirit high and strong,
May my one love in all its fulness be?
And death-defying courage; what to thee,
With thy great life, thy spirit high and strong,
May my one love in all its fulness be?
An inward joy, sharp e'en to pain, yet dear
As thy soul's life,—a warmth, a light serene,—
A low, deep voice which none save thou may hear,
A living presence, constant, though unseen.
As thy soul's life,—a warmth, a light serene,—
A low, deep voice which none save thou may hear,
A living presence, constant, though unseen.
