Come again to the place
Where your presence was as a leaf that skims
Down a drouthy way whose ascent bedims
The bloom on the farer's face.
Come again, with the feet
That were light on the green as a thistledown ball,
And those mute ministrations to one and to all
Beyond a man's saying sweet.
Until then the faint scent
Of the bordering flowers swam unheeded away,
And I marked not the charm in the changes of day
As the cloud-colours came and went.
Through the dark corridors
Your walk was so soundless I did not know
Your form from a phantom's of long ago
Said to pass on the ancient floors,
Till you drew from the shad
And I saw the large luminous living eyes
Regard me in fixed inquiring-wise
As those of a soul that weighed,
Scarce consciously,
The eternal question of what Life was,
And why we were there, and by whose strange laws
That which mattered most could not be.

it started off as a simple place
You know, just a playground across the street
Where we’d jump and skate and race
Greeting the neighbors that we’d meet

Feeling the grass between our toes
And the wind blowing through our hair
Press a flower to your nose
Living life without a care

And on the swings we’d go so high
Swearing one day we’d flip over that rail
Feeling as if we could truly fly
Through the air we’d glide and sail

Oh, how many times did we skin a knee?
Or burn ourselves on that hot slide?
And the games we’d play, you and me
Like the one where you’d seek and I’d go hide

Around and around on the tire swing
Intoxicated by the swirls
Giggling and joking about everything
Running from the boys as they chased the girls

Splashing through the waterfall
From the sprinkler on a summer’s day
And we’d always make the biggest snowballs
Whenever winter came our way

On those lovely days in spring
Picking flowers with a friend
And what fun autumn would bring
Piling up the leaves, then diving in

On a bench under a tree
While joggers dash around the track
Submerged in tranquility
No threats, no worries, no looking back

Guys playing basketball over here
Girls playing hopscotch over there
The ice cream truck is always near
Cheer and laughter fill the air

Take me back to that special place
Where happiness is the only rule
Where the sun shines upon your face
Where the world is never cruel

We’ll step barefoot in the sand
And feel the wonder all around
Together we’ll proceed, hand in hand
Let’s go back to our playground

If I had to give you something, that would remind you of me,

I’d give you a house full of memories,

Because memories are things that go deeper into time,

We can look back at them and revive all that, lasting for years to go,

We’ll build it together and cherish it forever,

All that we shared, we’d capture under lock and key,

And make a life in that house, which is ideal for you and me

In your arms was still delight,
Quiet as a street at night;
And thoughts of you, I do remember,
Were green leaves in a darkened chamber,
Were dark clouds in a moonless sky.
Love, in you, went passing by,
Penetrative, remote, and rare,
Like a bird in the wide air;
And, as the bird, it left no trace
In the heaven of your face.
In your stupidity I found
The sweet hush after a sweet sound.
All about you was the light
That dims the graying end of night;
Desire was the unrisen sun,
Joy the day not yet begun,
With tree whispering to tree,
Without wind, quietly.
Wisdom slept within your hair,
And Long-suffering was there,
And, in the flowing of your dress,
Undiscerning Tenderness.
And when you thought, it seemed to me,
Infinitely, and like a sea,
About the sleight world you had known
Your vast unconsciousness was thrown. . . .

O haven without wave or tide!
Silence, in which all songs have died!
Holy book, where all hearts are still!
And home at length, under the hill!
O mother quiet, breasts of peace,
Where love itself would faint and cease!
O infinite deep I never knew,
I would come back, come back to you;
Find you, as a pool unstirred,
Kneel down by you, and never a word;
Lay my head, and nothing said,
In your hands, ungarlanded.
And a long watch you would keep;
And I should sleep, and I should sleep!

Cold in the earth—and the deep snow piled above thee,
Far, far removed, cold in the dreary grave!
Have I forgot, my only Love, to love thee,
Severed at last by Time's all-severing wave?

Now, when alone, do my thoughts no longer hover
Over the mountains, on that northern shore,
Resting their wings where heath and fern-leaves cover
That noble heart for ever, ever more?

Cold in the earth, and fifteen wild Decembers
From those brown hills have melted into spring:
Faithful indeed is the spirit that remembers
After such years of change and suffering!

Sweet Love of youth, forgive if I forget thee,
While the world's tide is bearing me along:
Sterner desires and other hopes beset me,
Hopes which obscure, but cannot do thee wrong!

No later light has lightened up my heaven;
No second morn has ever shone for me:
All my life's bliss from thy dear life was given,
All my life's bliss is in the grave with thee.

But when the days of golden dreams had perished,
And even Despair was powerless to destroy,
Then did I learn how existence could be cherished,
Strengthened, and fed without the aid of joy;

Then did I check the tears of useless passion,
Weaned my young soul from yearning after thine;
Sternly denied its burning wish to hasten
Down to that tomb already more than mine.

And even yet I dare not let it languish,
Dare not indulge in Memory's rapturous pain;
Once drinking deep of that divinest anguish,
How could I seek the empty world again?

The first fond meeting holy
Is like the woodbirds' trilling,
Is like a sea-song thrilling,
When red the sun sinks slowly,
Is like a horn on mountain,
That wakes time's sleep thereunder
And summons to life's fountain
To meet in nature's wonder.

Wedding Poems