Love's Old Sweet Song A sheaf of latter-day love-poems gathered from many sources

O knight, if thou a lady hast, Gentle and loving, high and true, Cling to her, live for her, die for her, too, Swerve not from her while life shall last-- O knight, if thou a la...

Nay, what if his footsteps slide By the swaying bridge of pine, And whirled seaward by the tide Is the loved form I counted mine! O night, dear night, that comest yet dost not c...

I think not of time that is flying, How short is the hour I have won, How near is this living to dying, How the shadow still follows the sun; There is naught upon earth, no desi...

God above Gods, High and Eternal King, To whom the spheral symphonies do sing, I find no whither from thy power to flee, Save in thy pinions vast o’ershadowing. Thou art my Lord...

My days are full of pleasant memories Of all those women sweet Whom I have known! How tenderly their eyes Flash thro’ the days--too fleet!-- Which long ago went by with sun and...

There’s a white rose leaf-cloistered in heavy noon-hush, And no eyes but the stars tempt its pale face to blush, In that wilderness garden where, shut from day’s beam, Fall its...

The little gate was reached at last, Half hid in lilacs down the lane; She pushed it wide, and, as she past, A wistful look she backward cast, And said,--“_Auf wiedersehen!_”

It is over now, she is gone to rest; I have clasped the hands on the quiet breast; Draw back the curtain, let in the light, She will never shrink if it be too bright.

_Yet, past or present, who the power would banish That charms or blights, that blesses or that mars: To happy lovers, how may Love e’er vanish,-- To hearts forlorn, how hallowed...