Sara Teasdale, comp. (1884–1933).
The Answering Voice: One Hundred Love Lyrics by Women. 1917.

Service

Anna Hempstead Branch

IF I could only serve him,

How sweet this life would be.

Last night I dreamed my darling,

Alive, returned to me.

I brought him from the cupboard

The things he liked to eat,—

The little piece of honey,

The rye bread and the meat.

I sang the song he asked for

The night he went away.

How was it, when I loved him,

I could have said him nay!

I took the time to please him,

With a hand upon his brow.

Amid the awful leisure

There was no hurry now.

How strange I once denied him

What took so little while.

A kiss would seem so simple,

So slight a thing a smile.

With pleased sweet looks of wonder

He took what I could give,—

Such words as we deny them

Only because they live.

The pale light of the morning

Shone in upon the wall.

Come back to me, my darling,

And I will give you all.