An English Madonna - verse Author:James Hinton General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1884 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: III. LOVE AND LOVE. I raised my arms to heaven in agony And cried out wildly, " Frail are women fair ! Their love is as a breath of sunlit air Or white cloud floating o'er a summer sea ! What is her passion of soul compared to me, Me -- for the storm-wreaths nestle in my hair And I the inexorable anguish bear Of one whose love outstrips eternity ! " Her love is measured by the sands of time, -- But mine is as the mountains or the stars. It snaps all manacles, it laughs at bars, Nor findeth the high blue airs too sublime. Her love is dainty as a rose's wings, -- But through the plumes of mine the thunder sings!" I weeping said, " What is her love to this ? " But, smiling, God said, " What is yours to mine ? I am the sun that lightens the sea-line, And my lips meet the fragrant morning's kiss. I die with love for all. Yet all that is United my one pale thorn-wreath to twine. Because my love is perfect and divine It never knows fruition's final bliss. " What is her love to yours ? Small, it may be. But yours to mine is as the rippling lake To the shore-margin where the vast waves break Full of song-echoes from the open sea. Your song is as the singing of a day : -- My song laughs golden-haired when Time turns grey." IV. THE DEA TH- WO UND. I am as one returning from the tilt Who smiles, the throngs of ladies sweet among, And answers laughing many a silvery tongue And dallieth with his still sword's golden hilt; -- Who wanders now through many a bower love-built Where perhaps of old gay loves and dainty sung, And watches the green branches West...« less