poems about love

Dust develops
from inside
as well as
on top when
objects stop
being used.
No unguent
can soothe
the chap of
abandonment.
Who knew
the polish
and balm in
a person's
simple passage
among her things.
We knew she
loved them
but not what
love means.











From Poetry Magazine, September 2006. Used with permission.

Let them have your laughter, give me only
All the withheld tears, the broken glory,
All the depth and silence of your spirit;
What have I to do with your exalting?
I can simply touch your fragrant garlands
Timidly, and wonder why you let me.

Always when I ask you why you let me
You seem half afraid, and tell me only
That I am the goddess of your garlands
And my fingers touch them into glory
Loftier than all the world's exalting,
Warm still with the murmur of a spirit.

O if I could hover with my spirit,

1.

From place to place, you know not why,
You haste with hurrying feet.
A gentle word the breezes sigh;
You turn in wonder sweet.

The dear one that you left behind
Has called you soft and low:
" In thee alone my joy I find;
Come back, I love thee so! "

But further, further, driven and tost,
You needs must haste and flee;
What you so dearly loved and lost,

The moments passed as at a play;
I had the wisdom love brings forth;
I had my share of mother-wit,
And yet for all that I could say,
And though I had her praise for it,
A cloud blown from the cut-throat north
Suddenly hid Love's moon away.

Believing every word I said,
I praised her body and her mind
Till pride had made her eyes grow bright,
And pleasure made her cheeks grow red,
And vanity her footfall light,
Yet we, for all that praise, could find
Nothing but darkness overhead.

With jealous tears your eyes are wet,
You kiss and squeeze, you gaze and sigh:
But when I say, " I'm waiting yet,"
Behold Love's flood falls strangely dry.

By love's great Queen who rides the ocean swell,
My Bella's beauty makes her beauty's belle.

Sweetest May let love inspire thee;
Take a heart which he designs thee;
As thy constant slave regard it;
For its faith and truth reward it.

Proof o' shot to Birth or Money,
Not the wealthy, but the bonie;
Not high-born, but noble-minded,
In Love's silken band can bind it.

Jamie come try me,
Jamie come try me,
If thou would win my love
Jamie come try me.

If thou should ask my love,
Could I deny thee?
If thou would win my love,
Jamie come try me.

If thou should kiss me, love,
Wha could espy thee?
If thou wad be my love,
Jamie come try me.
Jamie come &c.

Fair Empress of the Poet's soul,
And Queen of Poetesses;
Clarinda, take this little boon,
This humble pair of Glasses.

And fill them high with generous juice,
As generous as your mind;
And pledge me in the generous toast —
" The whole of Humankind!"

" To those who love us!" — second fill;
But not to those whom we love,
Lest we love those who love not us: —
A third — " to thee and me, Love!"

Long may we live! Long may we love!
And long may we be happy!!!

SO LONG as 'neath the Kalka hills
The tonga-horn shall ring,
So long as down the Solon dip
The hard-held ponies swing,
So long as Tara Devi sees
The lights of Simla town,
So long as Pleasure calls us up,
Or Duty drives us down,
If you love me as I love you
What pair so happy as we two?

So long as Aces take the King,