A Man’s Requirements

LOVE me, sweet, with all thou art,

Feeling, thinking, seeing;

Love me in the lightest part,

Love me in full being.

Love me with thine open youth

In its frank surrender,

With the vowing of thy mouth,

With its silence tender.

Love me with thine azure eyes,

Made for earnest granting;

Taking color from the skies,

Can heaven’s truth be wanting?

Love me with their lids, that fall

Snow-like at first meeting;

Love me with thine heart, that all

Neighbors then see beating.

Love me with thine hand stretched out

Freely, open minded;

Love me with thy loitering foot,

Nearing one behind it.

Love me with thy voice, that turns

Sudden faint above me;

Love me with thy blush, that burns

When I murmur, Love me!

Love me with thy thinking soul,

Break it to love-sighing;

Love me with thy thoughts that roll

On through living—dying.

Love me in thy gorgeous airs,

When the world had crowned thee;

Love me, kneeling at thy prayers,

With the angels round thee.

Love me pure, as musers do,

Up the woodlands shady;

Love me gayly, fast, and true,

As a winsome lady.

Through all hopes that keep us brave,

Farther off or nigher;

Love me for the house and grave—

And for something higher.

Thus, if thou wilt prove me, dear,

Woman’s love no fable,

I will love thee—half a year—

As a man is able.