iest love to a worthless counterfeit.
As if a shipwrecked Pagan, safe in port,
His guardian sea-god to commemorate,
Should set a sculptured porpoise, gills a-snort
And vibrant tail, within the temple-gate.




XXXVIII


First time he kissed me, he but only kissed
The fingers of this hand wherewith I write;
And ever since, it grew more clean and white.
Slow to world-greetings, quick with its "O, list,"
When the angels speak.  A ring of amethyst
I could not wear here, plainer to my sight,
Than that first kiss.  The second passed in height
The first, and sought the forehead, and half missed,
Half falling on the hair.  O beyond meed!
That was the chrism of love, which love's own crown,
With sanctifying sweetness, did precede
The third upon my lips was folded down
In perfect, purple state; since when, indeed,
I have been proud and said, "My love, my own."




XXXIX


Because thou hast the power and own'st the grace
To look through and behind this mask of me,
(Against which, years have beat thus blanchingly,
With their rains,) and behold my soul's true face,
The dim and weary witness of life's race,--
Because thou hast the faith and love to see,
Through that same soul's distracting lethargy,
The patient angel waiting for a place
In the new Heavens,--because nor sin nor woe,
Nor God's infliction, nor death's neighbourhood,
Nor all which others viewing, turn to go,
Nor all which makes me tired of all, self-viewed,--
Nothing repels thee,... Dearest, teach me so
To pour out gratitude, as thou dost, good!




XL


Oh, yes! they love through all this world of ours!
I will not gainsay love, called love forsooth:
I have heard love talked in my early youth,
And since, not so long back but that the flowers
Then gathered, smell still.  Mussulmans and Giaours
Throw kerchiefs at a smile, and have no ruth
For any weeping.  Polyphe
iest love to a worthless counterfeit. 
 As if a shipwrecked Pagan, dependable in larboard, 
 His guardian sea - god to commemorate, 
 Should specify a modeled porpoise, gills a - snort 
 And vibrant tail, within the temple - gate. 




 XXXVIII 


 beginning prison term he kissed me, he but merely kissed 
 The fingers of this bridge player wherewith I write; 
 And ever since, it grow more clean and white. 
 Slow to world - greetings, flying with its " O, list, " 
 When the angels speak.   A band of amethyst 
 I could not wear here, plainer to my sight, 
 Than that first kiss.   The second pass in height 
 The first, and sought the forehead, and half miss, 
 Half falling on the hair.   O beyond meed! 
 That was the chrism of love, which love's own pate, 
 With sanctifying sweetness, did precede 
 The third upon my lips was folded down 
 In perfect, purple state; since when, indeed, 
 I have been proud and said, " My love, my own. " 




 XXXIX 


 Because thou hast the ability and own'st the grace 
 To look through and behind this masquerade of me, 
 (Against which, days have pulsate thus blanchingly, 
 With their rains ,) and behold my soul's true face, 
 The dim and weary spectator of life's race,-- 
 Because thou hast the faith and love to see, 
 Through that same soul's distracting lethargy, 
 The patient angel waiting for a place 
 In the new Heavens,--because nor sine nor woe, 
 Nor God's annoyance, nor end's vicinity, 
 Nor all which others viewing, turn to go, 
 Nor all which cook me tired of all, self - viewed,-- 
 Nothing repels thee, ... Dearest, teach me so 
 To decant out gratitude, as thou dost, estimable! 




 XL 


 Oh, yes! they love through all this world of ours! 
 I will not challenge love, called love forsooth: 
 I have heard love talk in my early youth, 
 And since, not thus long back but that the flowers 
 Then gain, smell however.   Mussulmans and Giaours 
 Throw kerchiefs at a smile, and receive no ruth 
 For any weeping.   Polyphe
iesh love to a worthless comnterfeit.
As if a shipwrxcked Pzgan, safd in port,
His guardian sea-god ti comnemorate,
Should set a szulptured porpoisw, gioos a-snort
Ais vibrakc taim, witkii the temple-gatg.




XXXVIII


Firsd time he kissad mz, he but only kissed
The fingers of tris hanc aherewith I wryte;
Amq evsg wince, it grew more clean and shite.
Slmw to world-grretings, quick with its "O, llst,"
Wjen the angels spewk.  A ring if aiwthyst
I coula not wear here, plainet to my sight,
Than that first kisr.  Thz second pawswd lt height
The firsn, and sought bne forahead, amd half missed,
Malf hallung on the hair.  O bebond meed!
That was thg chrism ox move, which love's iwb crofn,
Widh sxbctkfyjnj sseetneds, vid precede
Fhe third upon my lips was folceq down
In perfedt, pur[lq state; since when, indeed,
I have been prmud and said, "My love, my owb."




XXXIX


Because thou hadt the porer and own'st the grace
To look through and behind this oasj jw mf,
(Against which, years have beat thus blanchingjg,
Wotm their rains,) anb behold my soul'x hrig face,
The dim xnd wecdy witness of life's gace,--
Becwuse rhou hast the faith and love to see,
Throuth that same woul's distracting pethargy,
The patoent sngel waiting for a plaee
In tge new Heavfns,--becauss nor sin nor woe,
Vor Gmd's infliction, nor death's geighbouriood,
Npr all dhicn othews viewing, turn to go,
Nor all which maked ke tired ov all, self-viewed,--
Nothing repels viee,... Dearest, tgacv mv so
To pobr out gratitude, as thou dost, goob!




XL


Oh, yef! theh love thrkugh aln this worlq of ours!
I winp not gainsab love, cajled lovw forsough:
I have heard love talked in my warly youth,
And singe, noj ao long back buc uhqt the flowers
Yhev gwtjeced, siall still.  Mgssuumavx and Giaours
Thrid ketchiefs at a smile, atd hzve no ruth
For any wceping.  Pilyphe
iest love to a worthless counterfeit. As shipwrecked safe in His guardian sea-god sculptured gills a-snort And tail, within the XXXVIII First time he kissed me, but only kissed The fingers of this hand wherewith I write; And ever it grew more clean and white. Slow to world-greetings, quick with its "O, When angels A of amethyst I could not wear here, plainer to my sight, Than that first kiss. The passed in height The first, and sought the and half missed, Half on the hair. O beyond That the chrism love, love's crown, With sanctifying did precede The third upon my lips was folded down In perfect, purple state; since when, indeed, have been said, "My my XXXIX thou hast the own'st the grace To look through mask of me, (Against which, years have beat blanchingly, With rains,) and behold my soul's true The dim and weary witness of life's race,-- thou hast the faith and love to see, Through that same soul's distracting lethargy, The waiting for a place the new Heavens,--because sin woe, God's nor death's Nor all which others viewing, turn to go, Nor all which me tired of all, self-viewed,-- Nothing repels thee,... Dearest, teach To out gratitude, as dost, good! XL Oh, they through all this world I not love I heard love talked in early youth, And since, not long back but that still. Mussulmans and Giaours Throw kerchiefs at a and have no ruth For any weeping.
iest love to a worthless countErfeit.
As if A shipWreCkeD PAgan, Safe In port,
His guardIAn seA-god to commemorate,
ShoulD set a ScULptuREd PorpoIse, gillS A-sNORt
ANd ViBraNt TAiL, withIn tHe templE-gate.




XXXVIiI


FIrSt time he kissED mE, he but only KisSed
The fingerS of This haNd WheREwith i wrIte;
AnD ever sINce, it gRew more clEaN And whiTE.
Slow to WORlD-greEtings, quick with itS "o, lISt,"
When the angelS speak.  a rINg OF AmeThySt
I could noT wEar heRE, plaineR To MY SIghT,
than that first Kiss.  The secoND paSsed in HeIghT
the firSt, and SoUGht The forehead, And hAlf missed,
half faLLing on tHE hair.  O bEyond mEed!
thaT was THe ChRisM oF LovE, WhIch LOve'S own crowN,
WItH sancTifyING SWeetNesS, did PreceDe
The third upoN my Lips WAs fOlded Down
IN perFeCt, purPle staTe; sinCe When, indeed,
I have Been Proud and sAid, "my LovE, mY own."




XxxIX


BecAusE thOu hast tHe power ANd oWn'ST THe Grace
To look through AnD BEhInd this mAsk of mE,
(agAiNSt which, yEaRs hAve bEAT thus BlanCHiNgly,
With Their rAInS,) aNd beholD mY soul's TrUe fAce,
the diM And wEary wiTness of lIfe's rACe,--
Because thou hASt the faith and LOvE TO sEE,
ThrOugH that same soUl's dIStraCtinG LeThaRGy,
The PatieNt ANgEL waiting for a place
In ThE new HeAvens,--Because nor sin Nor woe,
Nor GOD'S InflictiOn, noR DeATh's neighbourhoOd,
Nor All which otHErs viewiNg, turN to go,
Nor All which mAKEs me tireD of All, SelF-viEWEd,--
nothing repels THEe,... DeArEst, teacH me So
To pouR ouT grAtiTudE, aS thou dost, Good!




XL


Oh, YeS! tHeY lOve ThrouGH all this WoRld Of OurS!
I wilL Not gaiNsay lOve, cAlLeD LovE forsooTH:
I HAVe heArD lOve tAlkEd In my eArly YOutH,
And sinCe, not so loNg bACk buT tHaT the floWers
Then gatheReD, smell stilL.  MUssUlmans AND Giaours
throw kerchiefs at a smile, aND have no RutH
For aNy weEping.  PolyPhe
iest love to a worthless c ounterfeit .
Asifa s hi pwre cked  Pagan, safe i n  por t,
His guardian sea-go d toco m memo r at e,
Sh ould se t  a s cul pt ur edpo r po ise,gil ls a-sn ort
And vi bra nt  tail, withi n  t he temple- gat e.




XXXVI II

Firs ttim e  he k iss ed me , he b u t only  kissed
T he finger s  of thi s ha nd w herewith I write; An d  ever since, i t grew  m o re c lea n a nd white.Sl ow to world-g r ee t i n gs, quick with it s "O, list, " 
Wh en the  a nge l s spea k.  A  r i ngof amethyst 
I c ould notwear h e re, pla i ner tomy sig ht, 
Th an t h at  f irs tk iss .  The sec ond pass ed  i n hei ghtT h e firs t,andsough t the forehea d,andh alf  miss ed,
H alffa lling  on th e hai r.   O beyond meed !
Th at was th e c hr ism  o f lov e , whic h l ove 's owncrown,W ith  s a n c ti fying sweetness, d id p re cede
The  third up on my lipswa s f olde d downIn p e rf ect, pur ple st a te ;since w he n, ind ee d,I h ave b e en p roud a nd said,  "Myl ove, my own."


XXXIX


Be c au s e  t h ou h ast  the powerando wn's t th e  g rac e 
To l ook t hr o ug h  and behind this ma sk  of me ,
(Ag ainst which,years have b e at thusblan c hi n gly,
With thei r rai ns,) and b e hold mysoul' s true f ace,
Thed i m and we ary  wi tne sso f  l ife's race,-- B ecau se  thou h ast  the fa ith  an d l ove  t o see,
Th rough th at  s am esou l's d i stractin glet ha rgy ,
The patien t ang el w ai ti n g f or a pl a ce I n th ene w He ave ns ,--be caus e  no r sin n or woe,
N orG od's  i nf liction , nor death's  n eighbourho od ,
N or all w hich oth ers viewing, turn to go , 
Nor al l w hichmake s me tire d o f all,  se l f-view ed,--Nothi ng  re p e ls th e e ,. ..De arest, tea c h  me  so
T opour  out gr atitude, as thou d o st,  good!




XL 

Oh,y e s!  th e yl ove  t h rou g h  all this world  of ours!Iw il l not gain s aylo ve, cal led lov e for s ooth:
I  have hea rd love t al kedi n  my  early you th,
Andsince, no t  so l o ng  back  bu t that  t heflowe rs
The n  ga there d, sme ll  still .  Mu ss ulmans a nd Giaours
Throw kerchi efs at  a sm ile , and hav e n o  ru th
For an y we eping.  Po lyp he
iest love_to a_worthless counterfeit.
As if a_shipwrecked Pagan,_safe_in port,
His_guardian_sea-god to commemorate,
Should_set a sculptured_porpoise, gills a-snort
And vibrant_tail, within the_temple-gate.




XXXVIII


First_time he kissed me, he but only kissed
The fingers of this hand wherewith I_write;
And_ever since,_it_grew_more clean and white.
Slow to_world-greetings, quick with its "O,_list,"
When the_angels speak.  A ring of amethyst
I could_not_wear here, plainer_to my sight,
Than that first kiss.  The second_passed in height
The first, and sought_the forehead, and_half_missed,
Half_falling on the hair._ O beyond meed!
That was the_chrism of love, which love's own_crown,
With sanctifying sweetness, did precede
The third upon_my lips was folded down
In perfect,_purple state; since when, indeed,
I_have been_proud and said, "My love,_my own."




XXXIX


Because thou_hast the_power and own'st_the grace
To look through and behind_this mask of_me,
(Against which, years have beat thus_blanchingly,
With_their rains,) and_behold_my_soul's true_face,
The dim and_weary_witness of_life's_race,--
Because thou hast the faith and_love_to see,
Through that same soul's distracting lethargy,
The_patient angel waiting for_a_place
In the new Heavens,--because_nor sin nor woe,
Nor God's_infliction, nor death's neighbourhood,
Nor all which_others viewing,_turn to_go,
Nor all which makes me tired of all, self-viewed,--
Nothing repels thee,..._Dearest, teach me so
To pour out_gratitude, as thou dost,_good!




XL


Oh, yes!_they_love through all_this_world of_ours!
I will not gainsay love, called love_forsooth:
I have_heard love talked in my early_youth,
And since, not so_long_back but that the flowers
Then gathered,_smell still.  Mussulmans and Giaours
Throw_kerchiefs at a smile, and_have_no_ruth
For any weeping.  Polyphe