Classic Poetry Five

Fate

Two shall be born, the whole wide world apart,

And speak in different tongues and have no thought

Each of the other's being, and no heed;

And these, o'er to unknown seas, to unknown lands

Shall cross, escaping wreck, defying death;

And all unconsciously shape every act

And bend each wandering step to this one end--

That one day out of darkness they shall meet

And read life's meaning in each other's eyes.

And two shall walk some narrow way of life

So nearly side by side that, should one turn

Ever so little space to left or right,

Their needs must stand acknowledged, face to face,

And yet, with wistful eyes that never meet,

And groping hands that never clasp, and lips

Calling in vain to ears that never hear,

They seek each other all their weary days

And die unsatisfied--and this is Fate !

~ Susan Marr Spalding ~

She Walks In Beauty

She walks in beauty like the night

Of cloudless skies and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meets in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellow'd to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impair'd the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o'er her face--

Where thoughts serenely sweet express

How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent.

~ Lord Byron ~

If Your Ever Going To Love Me

If your ever going to love me love me now, while I can know

All the sweet and tender feelings which from real affection flow,

Love me now, while I am living; do not wait til I am gone,

And then chisel it in marble--warm love words on ice-cold stone.

If you've dear, sweet thoughts about me, why not whisper them to me?

Don't you know 'twould make me happy and as glad as glad could be?

If you wait til I am sleeping, ne'er to waken here again,

There'll be walls of earth between us and I couldn't hear you then.

If you knew someone was thirsting for a drop of water sweet

Would you be so slow to bring it? Would you step with laggard feet?

There are tender hearts all around us who are thirsting for our love;

Why withhold from them what nature makes them crave all else above?

I won't need your kind carresses when the grass grows o'er my face;

I won't crave your love or kisses in my last low resting place.

So, then, if you love me any, if it's but a little bit,

Let me know now while living, let me own and treasure it.

~ Author Unknown To Me ~

The midi playing on this page, entitled "Butterfly" is being used with permission