Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning 1806–61My Heart and I
BrowningEBE
We sit beside the headstone thus,
And wish that name were carv’d for us.
The moss reprints more tenderly
The hard types of the mason’s knife,
As Heaven’s sweet life renews earth’s life
With which we ’re tired, my heart and I.
We dealt with books, we trusted men,
And in our own blood drench’d the pen,
As if such colors could not fly.
We walk’d too straight for fortune’s end,
We lov’d too true to keep a friend;
At last we ’re tired, my heart and I.
We seem of no use in the world;
Our fancies hang gray and uncurl’d
About men’s eyes indifferently;
Our voice which thrill’d you so, will let
You sleep; our tears are only wet:
What do we here, my heart and I?
It was not thus in that old time
When Ralph sat with me ’neath the lime
To watch the sunset from the sky.
“Dear love, you ’re looking tired,” he said:
I, smiling at him, shook my head.
’T is now we ’re tired, my heart and I.
Though now none takes me on his arm
To fold me close and kiss me warm
Till each quick breath end in a sigh
Of happy languor. Now, alone,
We lean upon this graveyard stone,
Uncheer’d, unkiss’d, my heart and I.
Suppose the world brought diadems
To tempt us, crusted with loose gems
Of powers and pleasures? Let it try.
We scarcely care to look at even
A pretty child, or God’s blue heaven,
We feel so tired, my heart and I.
In this abundant earth no doubt
Is little room for things worn out:
Disdain them, break them, throw them by!
And if before the days grew rough
We once were lov’d, us’d,—well enough,
I think, we ’ve far’d, my heart and I.