Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. IV. The Nineteenth Century: Wordsworth to Rossetti

Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828–1882)

Hope overtaken

I DEEMED thy garments, O my Hope, were grey,

So far I viewed thee. Now the space between

Is passed at length; and garmented in green

Even as in days of yore thou stand’st to-day.

Ah God! and but for lingering dull dismay,

On all that road our footsteps erst had been

Even thus commingled, and our shadows seen

Blent on the hedgerows and the water-way.

O Hope of mine whose eyes are living love,

No eyes but hers,—O Love and Hope the same!—

Lean close to me, for now the sinking sun

That warmed our feet scarce gilds our hair above.

O hers thy voice and very hers thy name!

Alas, cling round me, for the day is done!