Love, take my hand, and look not with sad eyes
Through the valley-shades: for us, the mountains rise;
Beneath the cold, blue-cleaving peaks of snow
Like flame the April-blossomed almonds blow--
Spring-grace and winter-glory intertwined
Within the glittering web that colour weaves.
_Yet who are they who troop so close behind_
_With raiment rustling like frost-withered leaves_
_That burden winter-winds with ever-restless sighs?_
Love, look not back, nor ever hearken more
To murmuring shades; for us, the river-shore
Is lit with dew-hung daffodils that gleam
On either side the tawny, foaming stream
That bears through April with triumphal song
Dissolving winter to the brimming sea.
_Yet who are they who, ever-whispering, throng,_
_With lean, grey lips that shudder piteously,_
_As if from some bright fruit of bitter-tasting core?_
Nay, look not back, for, lo, in tranced light
Love stays awhile his world-encircling flight
To wait our coming from the valley-ways;
See where, a hovering fire amid the blaze,
He pants aflame with irised plumes unfurled
Above the utmost pinnacle of noon.
_Yet who are they who wander through the world_
_Like weary clouds about a wintry moon,_
_With wan, bewildered brows that bear eternal night?_
Love, look not back, nor fill thy heart with woe
Of old, sad loves that perished long ago;
For ever after living lovers tread
Pale, yearning ghosts of all earth's lovers dead.
A little while with life we lead the train
Ere we, too, follow, cold, some breathing love.
_I fear their fevered eyes and hands that strain_
_To snatch our joy that flutters bright above,_
_To shadow with grey death its ruddy, pulsing glow._
Love, look not back in this life-crowning hour
When all our love breaks into perfect flower
Beneath the kindling heights of frozen time.
Come, Love, that we with happy haste may climb
Beyond the valley, and may chance to see
Some unknown peak that cleaves unfading skies.
_Old sorrow saps my strength; I may not flee_
_The flame of passionate hunger in their eyes;_
_Beseeching shade on shade--they hold me in their power._
Love, look not back, for, all too brief, our day,
In wilder glories flameth fast away.
Lo, even now, the northern snow-ridge glows--
With purple shadowed--from pale gold to rose
That shivers white beneath stars dawning cold.
Lift up thine eyes ere all the colour fades.
_Ah, rainbow-plumed Love in airs of gold,_
_Too late I turn, a shade among the shades._
_To follow, death-enthralled, thy flight through ages grey._
The Vision.