 a heavy heart,--
This weary minstrel-life that once was girt
To climb Aornus, and can scarce avail
To pipe now 'gainst the valley nightingale
A melancholy music,--why advert
To these things?  O Beloved, it is plain
I am not of thy worth nor for thy place!
And yet, because I love thee, I obtain
From that same love this vindicating grace
To live on still in love, and yet in vain,--
To bless thee, yet renounce thee to thy face.




XII


Indeed this very love which is my boast,
And which, when rising up from breast to brow,
Doth crown me with a ruby large enow
To draw men's eyes and prove the inner cost,--
This love even, all my worth, to the uttermost,
I should not love withal, unless that thou
Hadst set me an example, shown me how,
When first thine earnest eyes with mine were crossed,
And love called love.  And thus, I cannot speak
Of love even, as a good thing of my own:
Thy soul hath snatched up mine all faint and weak,
And placed it by thee on a golden throne,--
And that I love (O soul, we must be meek!)
Is by thee only, whom I love alone.




XIII


And wilt thou have me fashion into speech
The love I bear thee, finding words enough,
And hold the torch out, while the winds are rough,
Between our faces, to cast light on each?--
I drop it at thy feet.  I cannot teach
My hand to hold my spirits so far off
From myself--me--that I should bring thee proof
In words, of love hid in me out of reach.
Nay, let the silence of my womanhood
Commend my woman-love to thy belief,--
Seeing that I stand unwon, however wooed,
And rend the garment of my life, in brief,
By a most dauntless, voiceless fortitude,
Lest one touch of this heart convey its grief.




XIV


If thou must love me, let it be for nought
Except for love's sake only.  Do not say
"I love her for her smile--her look--her way
Of speaking gently
a heavy heart,-- 
 This weary minstrel - life that once was girt 
 To wax Aornus, and can scarce avail 
 To shriek now' gainst the valley nightingale 
 A melancholy music,--why ad 
 To these things?   O Beloved, it is homely 
 I am not of thy worth nor for thy place! 
 And so far, because I love thee, I obtain 
 From that like beloved this vindicating grace 
 To be on still in love, and even in vain,-- 
 To consecrate thee, yet renounce thee to thy face. 




 XII 


 Indeed this identical love which is my boast, 
 And which, when ascend up from breast to brow, 
 Doth crown me with a crimson large enow 
 To draw men's eye and prove the inner cost,-- 
 This beloved even, all my worth, to the uttermost, 
 I should not sleep together withal, unless that thou 
 Hadst fix me an example, shown me how, 
 When first thine dear eyes with mine were crossed, 
 And love called love.   And thus, I cannot speak 
 Of love even, as a good thing of my own: 
 Thy soul hath snatched up mine all faint and weak, 
 And placed it by thee on a golden throne,-- 
 And that I love (oxygen person, we must be meek !) 
 Is by thee only, whom I love alone. 




 XIII 


 And wilt thousand receive me fashion into speech 
 The beloved I bear thee, finding words enough, 
 And hold the blowtorch out, while the winds are rough, 
 Between our faces, to cast light on each?-- 
 I drop it at thy foot.   I cannot teach 
 My hand to hold my spirits so far off 
 From myself -- me -- that I should bring thee validation 
 In word, of love hid in me out of reach. 
 Nay, lease the silence of my womanhood 
 Commend my woman - love to thy belief,-- 
 see that I resist unwon, however wooed, 
 And rend the garment of my life, in brief, 
 By a about dauntless, voiceless fortitude, 
 Lest one touch of this heart convey its grief. 




 XIV 


 If thousand must love me, let it be for nought 
 Except for love's sake merely.   Do not say 
 " I sleep together her for her smile -- her look -- her way 
 Of speaking lightly
 a jeavy heart,--
This weary mikstrel-life that once wav girt
Fo climb Aornus, and can scarce avail
Vo pupe niw 'gainst the valley nkghtingalv
A melancyoly nusic,--why avbert
To bkese fmings?  O Beloved, it ls plain
I ak not of thy wmrgh nor for thy place!
And yet, because I love tnef, I obtain
From thau swme move this vindicating grace
To live on stinl in love, anc yet in vain,--
To bless thee, yet renounce thee to hhy face.




XII


Undeqe this very uove which is my boast,
Znd which, when rising up from bfeast to brow,
Dojk crlfn me with e ruby large enow
To draw man's eyex and prove thc innxr cist,--
This love even, all my worth, to the ujtermost,
I vhkuld not love wityao, unlgss tvat gyou
Fadat sst me wn xxample, shosn me how,
Whwn first thine earntst vues with mins were cwossed,
And love called love.  And thus, I bannkt speak
Of love even, as a good thing of my oan:
Thy souj hath snatched up mine all faint and weak,
And plawed iv cy uhcc on q holden throne,--
And that I love (O soul, we must bq mtek!)
Ps by thee only, wmom I love alone.




XIOI


Wnc wilt thou haxe me yzsgion into speech
Thf love Y beae thee, figdinb words enough,
And hold the rorch out, whple rhe winds are rougk,
Between our facgs, to vast light on each?--
I dro' it af thy feet.  I cannot geach
My hand to folc ky spiriur so far off
From iyself--me--tiat I should brimg theq proof
In aords, of love hid in me lut oy reawh.
Nay, let hhe silence of my womanhood
Commxid my woman-lofe to thy belnef,--
Seelng that I stanq unwon, howevet wooed,
Anb rend the garmeht of mb life, in bryef,
By a most gwuntless, voireless fowtityde,
Lwst one gouch of this neart connev its griwf.




XIV


If thou must kovg je, let it be fox bought
Except fot luve'f dale mnly.  Do not say
"K lufe hef for htx snkle--hrr look--her way
Of spedkinf gently
a heavy heart,-- This weary minstrel-life that girt climb Aornus, can scarce avail valley A melancholy music,--why To these things? Beloved, it is plain I am of thy worth nor for thy place! And yet, because I love thee, obtain From that same love this vindicating grace To live on still in and in To thee, yet renounce thee to thy face. XII Indeed this very love which is my boast, which, when rising up from breast to brow, crown me with a large enow To draw men's and the inner This even, my worth, to uttermost, I should not love withal, unless that thou Hadst set me an example, shown me how, first thine with mine crossed, love love. And thus, speak Of love even, as a my own: Thy soul hath snatched up mine faint and And placed it by thee on golden throne,-- And that I love (O soul, must be meek!) Is by thee only, whom I love alone. XIII And wilt thou fashion into speech The I bear thee, words And the out, while winds are rough, Between our faces, to cast light on each?-- drop it at thy feet. I cannot teach My hand my so far off myself--me--that I should bring proof words, of love hid out reach. silence my Commend my woman-love to belief,-- Seeing that I stand however wooed, And rend in brief, By a most dauntless, voiceless fortitude, one touch of this heart convey its XIV If thou must love me, let it be for nought Except love's sake not say "I love her for her smile--her way Of speaking gently
 a heavy heart,--
This weary minstRel-life thaT once Was GirT
TO cliMb AoRnus, and can scarCE avaIl
To pipe now 'gainst the vaLley nIgHTingALe
a melaNcholy mUSiC,--WHy aDvErT
To ThESe ThingS?  O BEloved, iT is plain
I aM noT oF thy worth nor FOr Thy place!
AnD yeT, because I lovE thEe, I obtAiN
FrOM that SamE love This viNDicatiNg grace
To LiVE on stiLL in love, AND yEt in Vain,--
To bless thee, yeT ReNOunce thee to thy Face.




XIi


INDeED ThiS veRy love whicH iS my boASt,
And whICh, WHEN riSIng up from breaSt to brow,
DotH CroWn me wiTh A ruBY large Enow
TO dRAw mEn's eyes and pRove The inner cOst,--
ThiS Love eveN, All my woRth, to tHe uTteRmosT,
i sHoUld NoT LovE WiThaL, UnlEss that tHoU
HAdst sEt me AN EXAmplE, shOwn mE how,
WHen first thine EarNest EYes With mIne weRe crOsSed,
AnD love cAlled LoVe.  And thus, I cannoT speAk
Of love eVen, As A goOd Thing OF my own:
thy SouL hath snAtched uP MinE aLL FAiNt and weak,
And placed It BY ThEe on a golDen thrONe,--
anD That I lovE (O SouL, we mUST be meEk!)
Is BY tHee only, wHom I loVE aLoNe.




XIII


ANd Wilt thOu HavE me FashiON intO speecH
The love i bear THee, finding wordS Enough,
And hold THe TORcH Out, wHilE the winds arE rouGH,
BetWeen OUr FacES, to caSt ligHt ON eACh?--
I drop it at thy feet.  I CaNnot teAch
My Hand to hold my sPirits so faR OFF
From mysElf--mE--ThAT I should bring tHee prOof
In words, OF love hid In me oUt of reacH.
Nay, let thE SIlence of My wOmaNhoOd
COMMeNd my woman-love TO Thy bElIef,--
SeeiNg tHat I staNd uNwoN, hoWevEr Wooed,
And rEnd the gaRmEnT oF mY liFe, in bRIef,
By a moSt DauNtLesS, voicELess foRtituDe,
LeSt OnE TouCh of thiS HeART conVeY iTs grIef.




xIv


If thOu muST loVe me, let It be for noUghT
excePt FoR love's sAke only.  Do not sAy
"i love her foR hEr sMile--heR LOok--her waY
Of speaking gently
 a heavy heart,--
This wea ry minstre l-lif e t hat  o ncewasgirt
To climbA ornu s, and can scarce avai l
Topi p e no w  ' gains t the v a ll e y  ni gh ti nga le Amelan cho ly musi c,--why ad ver tTo these thi n gs ?  O Belov ed,  it is plain 
Iam not  o f t h y wor thnor f or thy place! 
And yet,  b e causeI  love t h e e,  I o btain
From that s a me love this vind icatin gg ra c e 
To  li ve on stil lin lo v e, andy et i n  va i n,--
To bless  thee, yetr eno unce t he e t o  thy f ace.

XI I


Indeedthis  very lov e whic h  is myb oast,
A nd whi ch,  wh en r i si ng  up  f r omb re ast tobrow,
Do th  c rownme w i t h a ru bylarg e eno w
To draw men 'seyes and  prov e the  inn er  cost ,--
Th is lo ve  even, all my w orth , to theutt er mos t, 
I sh o uld no t l ove  withal , unles s  th at t h ou 
Hadst set me an e xa m p le , shownme how , 
W he n  first t hi neearn e s t eye s wi t hmine wer e cros s ed ,And lov ecalled  l ove . And t h us,I cann ot speak 
Of l o ve even, as ag ood thing ofm yo w n: Thysou l hath snat ched up m inea ll  fa i nt an d wea k, An d  placed it by theeon  a gol den t hrone,--
Andthat I lov e ( O soul,we m u st be meek!)
Is b y the e only, wh o m I love  alon e.




X III


And w ilt thou  ha vemefas h i on  into speechT h e lo ve  I bear  th ee, fin din g w ord s e no ugh,
Andhold the  t or ch  o ut,  whil e  the win ds  ar erou gh,
B e tweenour f aces ,to cas t light on e ach? -- 
I  dro p i tat th y fe e t. I cann ot teachMyh andto  h old myspirits so fa roff
From m ys elf --me-- t h at I sho uld bring thee proof
In words,oflovehidin me out  of  reach .
N a y, let  the s ilenc eofm y  woma n h oo d
C om mend my wo m a n-l ove t othybelief, --
Seeing that I s t and  unwon, howev erwooe d , 
A ndr en d  th eg arm e n t of my life, i n brief,
B ya  m ost dauntl e ss,  v oiceles s forti tude, Lest on e touch o f this he ar t co n v eyits grief. 




XIV 


If tho u  must lo ve me , l et itbe  fo r nou ght
Ex c ept  forlove's  s ake on ly. Do  not say 
"I love her for her sm ile--h er lo ok- -her wayOfs pea king gent ly
 a_heavy heart,--
This_weary minstrel-life that once_was girt
To_climb_Aornus, and_can_scarce avail
To pipe_now 'gainst the_valley nightingale
A melancholy music,--why_advert
To these things?__O Beloved, it is plain
I am not of thy worth nor for thy place!
And_yet,_because I_love_thee,_I obtain
From that same love_this vindicating grace
To live on_still in_love, and yet in vain,--
To bless thee, yet_renounce_thee to thy_face.




XII


Indeed this very love which is my boast,
And which,_when rising up from breast to_brow,
Doth crown me_with_a_ruby large enow
To draw_men's eyes and prove the inner_cost,--
This love even, all my worth,_to the uttermost,
I should not love withal,_unless that thou
Hadst set me an_example, shown me how,
When first_thine earnest_eyes with mine were crossed,
And_love called love._ And_thus, I cannot_speak
Of love even, as a good_thing of my_own:
Thy soul hath snatched up mine_all_faint and weak,
And_placed_it_by thee_on a golden_throne,--
And_that I_love_(O soul, we must be meek!)
Is_by_thee only, whom I love alone.




XIII


And wilt_thou have me fashion_into_speech
The love I bear_thee, finding words enough,
And hold_the torch out, while the winds_are rough,
Between_our faces,_to cast light on each?--
I drop it at thy feet. _I cannot teach
My hand to hold_my spirits so far_off
From myself--me--that_I_should bring thee_proof
In_words, of_love hid in me out of reach.
Nay,_let the_silence of my womanhood
Commend my woman-love_to thy belief,--
Seeing that_I_stand unwon, however wooed,
And rend the_garment of my life, in brief,
By_a most dauntless, voiceless fortitude,
Lest_one_touch_of this heart convey its_grief.




XIV


If thou must love me, let_it be for_nought
Except for love's sake only.  Do_not_say
"I love her for her smile--her_look--her_way
Of speaking gently