Valediction
Here where our hearts respond to lovers’ criesWith ready swiftness, where our laughters leapFrom our lips, shall we not resolutely keepThis boyhood, looking on stars with boyish eyes?Rapture, we know, grows old and subtly diesWithin us,—this much we know, and wisely creepAway from age lest we disturb his sleepWhere Youth intolerably weeping lies.Is this our portion? Shall we not go farBeyond this presence, bearing our flags unfurledExultantly beyond some alien hillOf dreams?—rise up, and up, and up, untilThis place we knew must seem a sorry worldAnd the old earth a too familiar star?HERBERT W. HARTMAN, JR.
Here where our hearts respond to lovers’ criesWith ready swiftness, where our laughters leapFrom our lips, shall we not resolutely keepThis boyhood, looking on stars with boyish eyes?Rapture, we know, grows old and subtly diesWithin us,—this much we know, and wisely creepAway from age lest we disturb his sleepWhere Youth intolerably weeping lies.Is this our portion? Shall we not go farBeyond this presence, bearing our flags unfurledExultantly beyond some alien hillOf dreams?—rise up, and up, and up, untilThis place we knew must seem a sorry worldAnd the old earth a too familiar star?HERBERT W. HARTMAN, JR.
Here where our hearts respond to lovers’ criesWith ready swiftness, where our laughters leapFrom our lips, shall we not resolutely keepThis boyhood, looking on stars with boyish eyes?Rapture, we know, grows old and subtly diesWithin us,—this much we know, and wisely creepAway from age lest we disturb his sleepWhere Youth intolerably weeping lies.
Here where our hearts respond to lovers’ cries
With ready swiftness, where our laughters leap
From our lips, shall we not resolutely keep
This boyhood, looking on stars with boyish eyes?
Rapture, we know, grows old and subtly dies
Within us,—this much we know, and wisely creep
Away from age lest we disturb his sleep
Where Youth intolerably weeping lies.
Is this our portion? Shall we not go farBeyond this presence, bearing our flags unfurledExultantly beyond some alien hillOf dreams?—rise up, and up, and up, untilThis place we knew must seem a sorry worldAnd the old earth a too familiar star?
Is this our portion? Shall we not go far
Beyond this presence, bearing our flags unfurled
Exultantly beyond some alien hill
Of dreams?—rise up, and up, and up, until
This place we knew must seem a sorry world
And the old earth a too familiar star?
HERBERT W. HARTMAN, JR.
HERBERT W. HARTMAN, JR.