[Illustration:
TWO
IN
ARCADIA
BY
LUCINE FINCH
BRENTANOS
NEW YORK
MCMVII]
_Copyright, 1907, by Brentano’s_
[Illustration: TWO IN ARCADIA.]
VORSPIEL
(_Wild Geese_)
Geese and Lovers,
Lovers and Geese!
Sometimes a quarrel
And sometimes--peace.
[Illustration]
Come over the sea to me, to me,
Come over the sea to me!
The little ships go sailing by,
But never a ship brings thee!
[Illustration]
There were no words, if I remember,
But something subtler, deeper, Love.
The night it was a cold December
With a shiv’ry, silver moon above--
But in our hearts--the flame of love!
[Illustration]
The moon, the moon and a wide, blue sea,
A boat, a breeze, and you and me!
[Illustration]
Every night is our night.
But when the moon is high,
I think the _world_ belongs to us,
The earth, the sea, the sky!
[Illustration]
There are snow peaks in your heart,
And a grayness that is cold.
But wisdom comes with loving, sweet,
And all your moods my love can meet--
Because my love is bold!
[Illustration]
Into the night we went, we two,
Under the comfort of the moon.
The sky was pale and the poplar-trees
Swayed in the wind,
Swayed and swung.
And the dear night passed too soon!
[Illustration]
In the twilight
We parted,
In the night,
Broken-hearted,
We dreamed a sweet dream.
Then we met and we parted
Again, broken-hearted.
But--dreams come again!
[Illustration]
Over the meadows--
To go! To go!
Just You and Me--
In the afterglow!
[Illustration]
The moon is the lovers’ lantern.
With paths of palest gold
She lights the lovers’ night way.
The moon--is never old!
[Illustration]
ON PASSING HER WINDOW
Through the midnight my soul comes winging,
In the darkness my heart is singing.
All my soul to your soul I am flinging!
And I’m singing to draw you to me,
All to me!
To draw you to me!
[Illustration]
HER REPLY
Out of the midnight
I hear you singing!
O, my Beloved, I hear you singing,
And, though I silent must lie,
My heart sings with your heart,
My heart sings with yours!
[Illustration]
Spring in the hills, Beloved!
On the side of a meadowed slope!
And love in our hearts, Beloved,
Love and Spring and Hope!
[Illustration]
The sun is like a world of fire
And I am like the sun!
I shall burn through all the dreary worlds
Until my flame is done.
O, Heart’s Desire!
My fire, my fire
Shall burn for only one!
[Illustration]
The sun is the flame of the desert,
And you are the flame of my heart!
Dreary indeed is the desert unsunned,
And dreary without you, my heart.
[Illustration]
Oh, the poor, pale moon, Beloved!
She paled when you left me here.
Come back to us, to the moon and me.
The moon understands us, dear.
[Illustration]
Oh, the glow of the sun
And the red of the lake
And the shade of the bending tree!
Oh, the sound of the waves
And the sight of a sail!
Oh, the song in my heart for thee!
[Illustration]
I hear the sea call to the moon,
I hear the moon murm’ring as she sails,
"I cannot fail thee,
Why dost thou fear me?"
I hear the wind sing to the pine-tree,
I hear the pine-tree whisp’ring as she sways,
"I cannot fail thee,
Why dost thou fear me?"
I hear my heart cry to your heart,
I hear your heart beating ’gainst my own,
"I cannot fail thee,
Why dost thou fear me?"
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You are so dear, so dear,
That all things else seem dear,
The wonder of our loving
Has made all else seem dear!
[Illustration]
Under the moon in the garden
The pale lilies sleep and sway.
And thou, dear white flower-woman,
Sleep thou until the day!
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