| George William (“A. E.”) Russell (1867–1935). Collected Poems by A.E. 1913. |
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| 136. Recollection |
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| THROUGH the blue shadowy valley I hastened in a dream: | |
| Flower rich the night, flower soft the air, a blue flower the stream | |
| I hurried over before I came to the cabin door, | |
| Where the orange flame-glow danced within on the beaten floor. | |
| And the lovely mother who drooped by the sleeping child arose: | 5 |
| And I see how with love her eyes are glad, her face how it glows. | |
| And I know all this was past ten thousand years away, | |
| But in the Ever-Living yesterday is here to-day, | |
| And the beauty made dust we cry out for with so much pain. | |
| Unknown lover, I lived over your joy again. | 10 |
| Long dead maiden, your breasts were warm for the living head. | |
| It is we who have passed from ourselves, from beauty which is not dead. | |
| I know, when I come to my own immortal, I will find there | |
| In a myriad instant all that the wandering soul found fair: | |
| Empires that never crumbled, and thrones all glorious yet, | 15 |
| And hearts ere they were broken, and eyes ere they were wet. | |
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