Live Forever

Jasmine and blood-red roses,

    And the perfumed night, dew-wet;

And here yellow cosmos poses,

     And there are the cannas set;

And here is a tuberose growing;

     But the tuberose speaks to me

Of a world-freed soul’s outgoing,

      Of a love’s Gethsemane.

Of a one all care-free sleeping

     In a shroud austere and white,

Of a low, heart-wrenching weeping

      That burdens the silent night;

Of hands relaxed and lying

     On a unresponsive breast;

Of the light of a lifetime dying,

     As day dies in the west.

“And here is a tuberose growing—”

     As white on its stem and high

As a God-lit torch all glowing

     To light in the passing by

The outward spirit; bending

    And wafting its faint perfume,

Like God’s own promise blending

    Its sweetness with the gloom.

And here—why, it’s live-forever!

    And violets hiding, too!

There’s never a “never! never!—”

     Can come betwixt me and you.

The first of our souls upwinging

    Shall wait, while the years unfold,

The soul of its mate unspringing,

    And live until time grows old.

Lilts O Love Table Of Contents