Canto XCV

My love has talk'd with rocks and trees,

      He finds on misty mountain-ground

      His own vast shadow glory-crown'd,

He sees himself in all he sees.

Two partners of a married life—

      I look'd on these and thought of thee

      In vastness and in mystery,

And of my spirit as of a wife.

These two—they dwelt with eye on eye,

      Their hearts of old have beat in tune,

      Their meetings made December June,

Their every parting was to die.

Their love has never past away;

      The days she never can forget

      Are earnest that he loves her yet,

Whate'er the faithless people say.

Her life is lone, he sits apart,

      He loves her yet, she will not weep,

      Tho' rapt in matters dark and deep

He seems to slight her simple heart.

He thrids the labyrinth of the mind,

      He reads the secret of the star,

      He seems so near and yet so far,

He looks so cold: she thinks him kind.

She keeps the gift of years before,

      A wither'd violet is her bliss;

      She knows not what his greatness is;

For that, for all, she loves him more.

For him she plays, to him she sings

      Of early faith and plighted vows;

      She knows but matters of the house,

And he, he knows a thousand things.

Her faith is fixt and cannot move,

      She darkly feels him great and wise,

      She dwells on him with faithful eyes,

'I cannot understand: I love.'