The Dark Had Left No Speech Save Hand-In-Hand
by
The dark had left no speech save hand-in-hand
Between us two the while, with others near.
Mine questioned thine with ‘Why should I be here?’
‘Yet bide thou here,’ said thine, ‘and understand.’
And mine was mute; but strove not then to go;
And hid itself, and murmured, ‘Do not hear
The listening in my heart!’ Said thine, ‘My Dear,
I will not hear it, ever. But I know.’
Said mine to thine: ‘Let be. Now will I go!–
For you are saying,–you who do not speak,
This hand-in-hand is one day cheek-to-cheek!’
And said thy hand around me, ‘Even so.’
Then mine to thine.–‘Yea, I have been alone;
–Yet happy.–This is strange. This is not I!
You hold me, but you can not tell me why.’
And said thy hand to mine again, ‘My Own.’