| George William (“A. E.”) Russell (1867–1935). Collected Poems by A.E. 1913. |
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| 130. A Last Counsel |
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| COULD you not in silence borrow | |
| Strength to go from us ungrieving? | |
| All these hours of loving sorrow | |
| Only make more bitter leaving. | |
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| You will go forth lonely, thinking | 5 |
| Of the pain you leave behind you; | |
| From the golden sunlight shrinking | |
| For the earthly tears will blind you. | |
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| Better, ah, if now we parted | |
| For the little while remaining; | 10 |
| You would seek when broken-hearted | |
| For the mighty heart’s sustaining. | |
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| You would go then gladly turning | |
| From our place of wounds and weeping, | |
| With your soul for comfort burning | 15 |
| To the mother-bosom creeping. | |
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