Love-Longing

Like a tree beside the river
Of her life that runs from me,
Do I lean me, murmuring ever
In my love's idolatry:
Lo, I reach out hands of blessing;

Lo, I stretch out hands of prayer;
And, with passionate caressing,
Pour my life upon the air.
In my ears the siren river
Sings, and smiles up in my face;
But for ever and for ever
Runs from my embrace.

Spring by Spring the branches duly
Clothe themselves in tender flower
And for her sweet sake as truly
All their fruit and fragrance shower:
But the stream, with careless laughter,
Fleets in merry beauty by,
And it leaves me yearning after,
Lorn to droop, and lone to die.

In ray ears the siren river
Sings, and smiles up in my face;

But for ever and for ever
Runs from my embrace.

I stand mazed in the moonlight,
O'er Lts happy face to dream;
I am parched in the noonlight
By that cool and brimming stream
I am dying by the river
Of her life that runs froni me,
And it sparkles past me ever,
With its cool felicity.
In my ears the siren river
Sings, and smiles up in my face;
But for ever and for ever
Runs from my embrace.