love poems

I love the wind, I love the sea,—for I can weep like the first and my world is like the second .

Once Vulcan at the Lemnian forges making
Arrows for Cupid, skilfully of steel,
The new-made weapons Cytherea taking
Their points in honey dipped, for lover's weal.

But Cupid mingled gall: Once Mars returning
Full armed and flushed from the red field of war,
A massy spear he brandished, and discerning
Love's shafts he said, " What trifling toys these are! "

But Cupid said, " When you've received this arrow
You'll find it heavy, " whereupon he went
And gave it to the war-god; its touch to his marrow

What song of mine will live?
On whose lips will the words be sung
Long years after I am forgotten —
A name blown between the hills
Where some goat-herd
Remembers my love and passion?

He will sing of your beauty and my love;
Though it may be in another tongue,
To a strange tune,
In a country beyond the seas —
A seed blown by the wind —
He will sing of our love and passion.

To some the fat gods
Give money,
To some love;

But the gods have given me
Money and love:

Not too much money,
Nor quite enough love!

To some the fat gods
Give money, To some love.

Armed with a hyacinthine wand
Love touched me with his little hand—
A most imperious command.

He gave me a swift race to run
With him—by torrents on and on,
By moor and meadow, wood and lawn

Our flight we urged; to him I clung—
When me a water-serpent stung,
Whereat my heart paused, failed my tongue.

He with his wings soft as a dove
Fanned me, and cried, “Does this not prove
How vain it is to strive with Love?”

You seemed a caryatid melting
Into the wind-blown, dark blue temple of the sky.
But you bent down as I came closer, breaking the image.
When I passed, you raised your head
And blew the little feather of a smile upon me.
I caught it on open lips and blew it back.
And in that moment we loved,
Although you stood still waiting for your lover,
And I walked on to my love.

You seemed a caryatid melting
Into the wind-blown, dark blue temple of the sky.
But you bent down as I came closer, breaking the image.

Be patient, Life, when Love is at the gate,
And when he enters let him be at home.
Think of the roads that he has had to roam.
Think of the years that he has had to wait.

But if I let Love in I shall be late.
Another has come first — there is no room.
And I am thoughtful of the endless loom —
Let Love be patient, the importunate.

O Life, be idle and let Love come in,
And give thy dreamy hair that Love may spin.

But Love himself is idle with his song.
Let Love come last, and then may Love last long.

My own dear love I write to you,
Religion's scarce and preachers few;
I trust in God and daily pray
In the lonely mountains far away.

When I was on the ice and snow,
It hailed and rained, the wind did blow;
You gave to me a parting hand,
" And you wished me safe in the Cumberland. "

Unto this work I give my life,
But it is no place to bring a wife;
The promise that you gave to me,
I will give it back and set you free.

In winter time the wolves will howl
Around my door the Red Men prowl;

O woe is me, my heart is sad,
For I should never know
If Love came by like any lad,
Without his silver bow.

Or if he left his arrows sharp
And came a minstrel weary,
I'd never tell him by his harp
Nor know him for my dearie.

" O go your ways and have no fear,
For though Love passes by,
He'll come again a hundred times,
Before your turn to die. "

Oh if I were the velvet rose
Upon the red rose vine,
I'd climb to touch his window
And make his casement fine.

And if I were the bright-eyed bird
That twitters on the tree,
All day I'd sing my love for him
Till he should harken me.

But since I am a maiden
I go with downcast eyes,
And he will never hear the songs
That he has turned to sighs.

And since I am a maiden
My love will never know
That I could kiss him with a mouth
More red than roses blow.