DESIDERIUM
Face in the tomb, that lies so still,May I draw near,And watch you sleep and love you,Without word or tear?You smile, your eyelids flicker;Shall I tellHow the world goes that lost you?Shall I tell?Ah, love, lift not your eyelids;’Tis the sameOld story that we laughed at,Still the same.We knew it, you and I,We knew it all:Still is the small the great,The great the small;Still the cold lie quenchesThe flaming truth,And still embattled ageWars against youth.Yet I believe still in the ever-living GodThat fills your grave with perfume,Writing your name in violets across the sod,Shielding your holy face from hail and snow;And, though the withered stay, the lovely go.No transitory wrong or wrath of thingsShatters the faith—that each slow minute bringsThat meadow nearer to us where your feetShall flutter near me like white butterflies—That meadow where immortal lovers meet,Gazing forever in immortal eyes.Smart SetRichard Le Gallienne
Face in the tomb, that lies so still,May I draw near,And watch you sleep and love you,Without word or tear?You smile, your eyelids flicker;Shall I tellHow the world goes that lost you?Shall I tell?Ah, love, lift not your eyelids;’Tis the sameOld story that we laughed at,Still the same.We knew it, you and I,We knew it all:Still is the small the great,The great the small;Still the cold lie quenchesThe flaming truth,And still embattled ageWars against youth.Yet I believe still in the ever-living GodThat fills your grave with perfume,Writing your name in violets across the sod,Shielding your holy face from hail and snow;And, though the withered stay, the lovely go.No transitory wrong or wrath of thingsShatters the faith—that each slow minute bringsThat meadow nearer to us where your feetShall flutter near me like white butterflies—That meadow where immortal lovers meet,Gazing forever in immortal eyes.Smart SetRichard Le Gallienne
Face in the tomb, that lies so still,May I draw near,And watch you sleep and love you,Without word or tear?
Face in the tomb, that lies so still,
May I draw near,
And watch you sleep and love you,
Without word or tear?
You smile, your eyelids flicker;Shall I tellHow the world goes that lost you?Shall I tell?
You smile, your eyelids flicker;
Shall I tell
How the world goes that lost you?
Shall I tell?
Ah, love, lift not your eyelids;’Tis the sameOld story that we laughed at,Still the same.
Ah, love, lift not your eyelids;
’Tis the same
Old story that we laughed at,
Still the same.
We knew it, you and I,We knew it all:Still is the small the great,The great the small;
We knew it, you and I,
We knew it all:
Still is the small the great,
The great the small;
Still the cold lie quenchesThe flaming truth,And still embattled ageWars against youth.
Still the cold lie quenches
The flaming truth,
And still embattled age
Wars against youth.
Yet I believe still in the ever-living GodThat fills your grave with perfume,Writing your name in violets across the sod,Shielding your holy face from hail and snow;And, though the withered stay, the lovely go.No transitory wrong or wrath of thingsShatters the faith—that each slow minute bringsThat meadow nearer to us where your feetShall flutter near me like white butterflies—That meadow where immortal lovers meet,Gazing forever in immortal eyes.
Yet I believe still in the ever-living God
That fills your grave with perfume,
Writing your name in violets across the sod,
Shielding your holy face from hail and snow;
And, though the withered stay, the lovely go.
No transitory wrong or wrath of things
Shatters the faith—that each slow minute brings
That meadow nearer to us where your feet
Shall flutter near me like white butterflies—
That meadow where immortal lovers meet,
Gazing forever in immortal eyes.
Smart SetRichard Le Gallienne