Jephthah and Other Mysteries

120 MYSTERIES: When soul to soul is locked, and eyes are wed, And lips not touched kiss secretly by sight. These things we fear, and move as in a mist One from the other, and we had not kissed. Only the perfume of her lips and hair Love’s angel wafted slowly to me there, And as I went like death away I wist _Its savour faded, nor my soul aware. I turned and went away, away, away, Out of the night that was to me the day, And_rode to meet the sun to hide in light The sorrow of the day that was the night. So I rode slowly in the morning gray, And all the meadows with the frost -were white. And lo! between the mountains there uprose The winter sun; and all the forest glows, And the frost burns like fire before my eyes, While the white breeze awoke with slumberous sighs And stirred the branches of the pine ; it knows, It surely knows how weary are the wise. Even my horse my sorrow understands, Would turn and bear me to those western lands; In love would turn me back ; in love would bring My thirsty lips to the one perfect spring— My iron soul upon my trembling hands Fad its harsh will ; my bitterness was king.