Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (18331908). A Victorian Anthology, 18371895. 1895. |
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Love at Sea |
| Algernon Charles Swinburne (18371909) |
| | Imitated from Théophile Gautier |
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WE are in loves land to-day; | |
Where shall we go? | |
Love, shall we start or stay, | |
Or sail or row? | |
There s many a wind and way, | 5 |
And never a May but May; | |
We are in loves hand to-day; | |
Where shall we go? | |
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Our landwind is the breath | |
Of sorrows kissd to death | 10 |
And joys that were; | |
Our ballast is a rose; | |
Our way lies where God knows | |
And love knows where. | |
We are in loves hand to-day | 15 |
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Our seamen are fledged Loves, | |
Our masts are bills of doves, | |
Our decks fine gold; | |
Our ropes are dead maids hair, | |
Our stores are love-shafts fair | 20 |
And manifold. | |
We are in loves land to-day | |
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Where shall we land you, sweet? | |
On fields of strange mens feet, | |
Or fields near home? | 25 |
Or where the fire-flowers blow, | |
Or where the flowers of snow | |
Or flowers of foam? | |
We are in loves hand to-day | |
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Land me, she says, where love | 30 |
Shows but one shaft, one dove, | |
One heart, one hand, | |
A shore like that, my dear, | |
Lies where no man will steer, | |
No maiden land. | 35 |
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