Witter Bynner
There was a strangeness on your lips,Lips that had been so sure;You still were mine but in eclipse,Beside me but obscure.There was a cloud upon your heart;For, Celia, where you lay,Death, come to break your life apart,Had led your love away.Through the cold distance of your eyesYou could no longer see.But when you died, you heard me riseAnd followed suddenly.And close beside me, looking downAs I did on the dead,You made of time a wedding-gown,Of space a marriage-bed.I took, in you, death for a wife,You married death in me,Singing, “There is no other life,No other God than we!”
There was a strangeness on your lips,Lips that had been so sure;You still were mine but in eclipse,Beside me but obscure.There was a cloud upon your heart;For, Celia, where you lay,Death, come to break your life apart,Had led your love away.Through the cold distance of your eyesYou could no longer see.But when you died, you heard me riseAnd followed suddenly.And close beside me, looking downAs I did on the dead,You made of time a wedding-gown,Of space a marriage-bed.I took, in you, death for a wife,You married death in me,Singing, “There is no other life,No other God than we!”
There was a strangeness on your lips,Lips that had been so sure;You still were mine but in eclipse,Beside me but obscure.
There was a strangeness on your lips,
Lips that had been so sure;
You still were mine but in eclipse,
Beside me but obscure.
There was a cloud upon your heart;For, Celia, where you lay,Death, come to break your life apart,Had led your love away.
There was a cloud upon your heart;
For, Celia, where you lay,
Death, come to break your life apart,
Had led your love away.
Through the cold distance of your eyesYou could no longer see.But when you died, you heard me riseAnd followed suddenly.
Through the cold distance of your eyes
You could no longer see.
But when you died, you heard me rise
And followed suddenly.
And close beside me, looking downAs I did on the dead,You made of time a wedding-gown,Of space a marriage-bed.
And close beside me, looking down
As I did on the dead,
You made of time a wedding-gown,
Of space a marriage-bed.
I took, in you, death for a wife,You married death in me,Singing, “There is no other life,No other God than we!”
I took, in you, death for a wife,
You married death in me,
Singing, “There is no other life,
No other God than we!”
II—DURING A CHORALE BY CESAR FRANCK
In an old chamber softly litWe heard the Chorale played,And where you sat, an exquisiteImage of Life and lover of it,Death sang a serenade.I know now, Celia, what you heard,And why you turned and smiled.It was the white wings of a birdOffering flight, and you were stirredLike an adventurous child.Death sang: “Oh, lie upon your bier,Uplift your countenance!”Death bade me be your cavalier,Called me to march and shed no tear,But sing to you and dance.And when you followed, lured and ledBy those mysterious wings,And when I heard that you were dead,I could not weep. I sang instead,As a true lover sings.· · · · ·Today a room is softly lit;I hear the Chorale played.And where you come, an exquisiteImage of Death and lover of it,Life sings a serenade.
In an old chamber softly litWe heard the Chorale played,And where you sat, an exquisiteImage of Life and lover of it,Death sang a serenade.I know now, Celia, what you heard,And why you turned and smiled.It was the white wings of a birdOffering flight, and you were stirredLike an adventurous child.Death sang: “Oh, lie upon your bier,Uplift your countenance!”Death bade me be your cavalier,Called me to march and shed no tear,But sing to you and dance.And when you followed, lured and ledBy those mysterious wings,And when I heard that you were dead,I could not weep. I sang instead,As a true lover sings.· · · · ·Today a room is softly lit;I hear the Chorale played.And where you come, an exquisiteImage of Death and lover of it,Life sings a serenade.
In an old chamber softly litWe heard the Chorale played,And where you sat, an exquisiteImage of Life and lover of it,Death sang a serenade.
In an old chamber softly lit
We heard the Chorale played,
And where you sat, an exquisite
Image of Life and lover of it,
Death sang a serenade.
I know now, Celia, what you heard,And why you turned and smiled.It was the white wings of a birdOffering flight, and you were stirredLike an adventurous child.
I know now, Celia, what you heard,
And why you turned and smiled.
It was the white wings of a bird
Offering flight, and you were stirred
Like an adventurous child.
Death sang: “Oh, lie upon your bier,Uplift your countenance!”Death bade me be your cavalier,Called me to march and shed no tear,But sing to you and dance.
Death sang: “Oh, lie upon your bier,
Uplift your countenance!”
Death bade me be your cavalier,
Called me to march and shed no tear,
But sing to you and dance.
And when you followed, lured and ledBy those mysterious wings,And when I heard that you were dead,I could not weep. I sang instead,As a true lover sings.
And when you followed, lured and led
By those mysterious wings,
And when I heard that you were dead,
I could not weep. I sang instead,
As a true lover sings.
· · · · ·
· · · · ·
Today a room is softly lit;I hear the Chorale played.And where you come, an exquisiteImage of Death and lover of it,Life sings a serenade.
Today a room is softly lit;
I hear the Chorale played.
And where you come, an exquisite
Image of Death and lover of it,
Life sings a serenade.
III—SONGS ASCENDING
Love has been sung a thousand ways—So let it be;The songs ascending in your praiseThrough all my daysAre three.Your cloud-white body first I sing;Your love was heaven’s blue,And I, a bird, flew carollingIn ring on ringOf you.Your nearness is the second song;When God began to be,And bound you strongly, right or wrong,With his own thong,To me.But oh, the song, eternal, high,That tops these two!—You live forever, you who die,I am not IBut you.
Love has been sung a thousand ways—So let it be;The songs ascending in your praiseThrough all my daysAre three.Your cloud-white body first I sing;Your love was heaven’s blue,And I, a bird, flew carollingIn ring on ringOf you.Your nearness is the second song;When God began to be,And bound you strongly, right or wrong,With his own thong,To me.But oh, the song, eternal, high,That tops these two!—You live forever, you who die,I am not IBut you.
Love has been sung a thousand ways—So let it be;The songs ascending in your praiseThrough all my daysAre three.
Love has been sung a thousand ways—
So let it be;
The songs ascending in your praise
Through all my days
Are three.
Your cloud-white body first I sing;Your love was heaven’s blue,And I, a bird, flew carollingIn ring on ringOf you.
Your cloud-white body first I sing;
Your love was heaven’s blue,
And I, a bird, flew carolling
In ring on ring
Of you.
Your nearness is the second song;When God began to be,And bound you strongly, right or wrong,With his own thong,To me.
Your nearness is the second song;
When God began to be,
And bound you strongly, right or wrong,
With his own thong,
To me.
But oh, the song, eternal, high,That tops these two!—You live forever, you who die,I am not IBut you.
But oh, the song, eternal, high,
That tops these two!—
You live forever, you who die,
I am not I
But you.
Grieve not for the invisible, transported browOn which like leaves the dark hair grew,Nor for the lips of laughter that are nowLaughing inaudibly in sun and dew,Nor for those limbs that, fallen lowAnd seeming faint and slow,Shall yet pursueMore ways of swiftness than the swallow dipsAmong ... and find more winds than ever blewThe straining sails of unimpeded ships!Mourn not!—yield only happy tearsTo deeper beauty than appears!
Grieve not for the invisible, transported browOn which like leaves the dark hair grew,Nor for the lips of laughter that are nowLaughing inaudibly in sun and dew,Nor for those limbs that, fallen lowAnd seeming faint and slow,Shall yet pursueMore ways of swiftness than the swallow dipsAmong ... and find more winds than ever blewThe straining sails of unimpeded ships!Mourn not!—yield only happy tearsTo deeper beauty than appears!
Grieve not for the invisible, transported browOn which like leaves the dark hair grew,Nor for the lips of laughter that are nowLaughing inaudibly in sun and dew,Nor for those limbs that, fallen lowAnd seeming faint and slow,Shall yet pursueMore ways of swiftness than the swallow dipsAmong ... and find more winds than ever blewThe straining sails of unimpeded ships!Mourn not!—yield only happy tearsTo deeper beauty than appears!
Grieve not for the invisible, transported brow
On which like leaves the dark hair grew,
Nor for the lips of laughter that are now
Laughing inaudibly in sun and dew,
Nor for those limbs that, fallen low
And seeming faint and slow,
Shall yet pursue
More ways of swiftness than the swallow dips
Among ... and find more winds than ever blew
The straining sails of unimpeded ships!
Mourn not!—yield only happy tears
To deeper beauty than appears!