Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895.
Cosmo Monkhouse b. 1840The Secret
S
Amongst the mean, amongst the gay,
And all are brighter for the sight,
And bless her as she goes her way.
And now a spark of spirit flies,
Uncounted, from the unlock’d stores
Of her rich lips and precious eyes.
But no man looks on her as I:
They mark her for a little while,
But I will watch her till I die.
Why this so strange a thing should be—
That she be seen by wiser men
And only duly lov’d by me:
And watch her radiance in the room;
Here making light a little stronger,
And there obliterating gloom,
Watches the broken sun fall through,
Turning to gold the faded spray,
And making diamonds of dew).
She gathers all her scatter’d light,
And undivided radiance turns
Upon me like a sea of light.
That which God lets me worship whole:
He gives them glances of her heart,
But me, the sunshine of her soul.