In A Year Poem by Robert Browning
In A Year
Never any more,
While I live,
Need I hope to see his face
As before.
Once his love grown chill,
Mine may strive:
Bitterly we re-embrace,
Single still.
II.
Was it something said,
Something done,
Vexed him? was it touch of hand,
Turn of head?
Strange! that very way
Love begun:
I as little understand
Love's decay.
III.
When I sewed or drew,
I recall
How he looked as if I sung,
---Sweetly too.
If I spoke a word,
First of all
Up his cheek the colour sprang,
Then he heard.
IV.
Sitting by my side,
At my feet,
So he breathed but air I breathed,
Satisfied!
I, too, at love's brim
Touched the sweet:
I would die if death bequeathed
Sweet to him.
V.
``Speak, I love thee best!''
He exclaimed:
``Let thy love my own foretell!''
I confessed:
``Clasp my heart on thine
``Now unblamed,
``Since upon thy soul as well
``Hangeth mine!''
VI.
Was it wrong to own,
Being truth?
Why should all the giving prove
His alone?
I had wealth and ease,
Beauty, youth:
Since my lover gave me love,
I gave these.
VII.
That was all I meant,
---To be just,
And the passion I had raised,
To content.
Since he chose to change
Gold for dust,
If I gave him what he praised
Was it strange?
VIII.
Would he loved me yet,
On and on,
While I found some way undreamed
---Paid my debt!
Gave more life and more,
Till, all gone,
He should smile ``She never seemed
``Mine before.
IX.
``What, she felt the while,
``Must I think?
``Love's so different with us men!''
He should smile:
``Dying for my sake---
``White and pink!
``Can't we touch these bubbles then
``But they break?''
X.
Dear, the pang is brief,
Do thy part,
Have thy pleasure! How perplexed
Grows belief!
Well, this cold clay clod
Was man's heart:
Crumble it, and what comes next?
Is it God?
Love's decay! She never seemed mine before. Thanks for sharing this poem with us.
............a wonderful poem with an exceptional ending ★ Well, this cold clay clod Was man's heart: Crumble it, and what comes next? Is it God?
``Speak, I love thee best! '' ``Speak, I love thee best! '' ``Speak, I love thee best! ''......................Tragically, it 's a dream in a lifetime!
I have already taken this great poem to my favourites. I have no power to put a comment on this flawless poem
CONGRATULATIONS to the family of the late great poet Robert Browning!
Typical RB's vision, typical man's vision: a sprinter for short distances, but constantly an excellent poem for The Classic Poem Of The Day!
Typical Robert Browninbg's philosphy he wrote in his poems: typical a sprinter for short distances
Browning died at his son's home Ca' Rezzonico in Venice on 12 December 1889.He was buried in Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey;
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/17/2024 5:06:36 PM # 1.0.0.1119
Not to be sexist though it will sound like I am, but I think women have the edge when it comes to loving long and loving through the hardships and loving come what may- - because women are imbued with what is needed to raise children for years and years. We're long-distance runners, raised and bred. Men and their affections are sprinters- raised and bred for short distances. Since they have to pursue and catch all those fillies, they don't have the time to be long-distance runners. This poem is a beauty, though.