Volume Ii Part 131 (1/2)

Wi' lightsome heart I pu'd a rose, Frae aff its th.o.r.n.y tree; And my fause luver staw the rose, But left the thorn wi' me.

Robert Burns [1759-1796]

THE TWO LOVERS

The lover of her body said: ”She is more beautiful than night,-- But like the kisses of the dead Is my despair and my delight.”

The lover of her soul replied: ”She is more wonderful than death,-- But bitter as the aching tide Is all the speech of love she saith.”

The lover of her body said: ”To know one secret of her heart, For all the joy that I have had, Is past the reach of all my art.”

The lover of her soul replied: ”The secrets of her heart are mine,-- Save how she lives, a riven bride, Between the dust and the divine.”

The lover of her body sware: ”Though she should hate me, wit you well, Rather than yield one kiss of her I give my soul to burn in h.e.l.l.”

The lover of her soul cried out: ”Rather than leave her to your greed, I would that I were walled about With death,--and death were death indeed!”

The lover of her body wept, And got no good of all his gain, Knowing that in her heart she kept The penance of the other's pain.

The lover of her soul went mad, But when he did himself to death, Despite of all the woe he had, He smiled as one who vanquisheth.

Richard Hovey [1864-1900]

THE VAMPIRE As suggested By The Painting By Philip Burne-Jones

A fool there was and he made his prayer (Even as you and I!) To a rag and a bone and a hank of hair (We called her the woman who did not care), But the fool he called her his lady fair (Even as you and I!)

Oh the years we waste and the tears we waste, And the work of our head and hand, Belong to the woman who did not know (And now we know that she never could know) And did not understand.

A fool there was and his goods he spent (Even as you and I!) Honor and faith and a sure intent (And it wasn't the least what the lady meant), But a fool must follow his natural bent (Even as you and I!)

Oh the toil we lost and the spoil we lost, And the excellent things we planned, Belong to the woman who didn't know why (And now we know she never knew why) And did not understand.

The fool was stripped to his foolish hide (Even as you and I!) Which she might have seen when she threw him aside,-- (But it isn't on record the lady tried) So some of him lived but the most of him died-- (Even as you and I!)

And it isn't the shame and it isn't the blame That stings like a white-hot brand.

It's coming to know that she never knew why (Seeing at last she could never know why) And never could understand.

Rudyard Kipling [1865-1936]

AGATHA

She wanders in the April woods, That glisten with the fallen shower; She leans her face against the buds, She stops, she stoops, she plucks a flower.

She feels the ferment of the hour: She broodeth when the ringdove broods; The sun and flying clouds have power Upon her cheek and changing moods.

She cannot think she is alone, As o'er her senses warmly steal Floods of unrest she fears to own.