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BETWEEN TWO WORLDS.
Parting for Australia.
- HERE sitting by the fire
- I aspire, love, I aspire—
- Not to that “other world” of your fond dreams,
- But one as nigh and nigher,
- Compared to which your real, unreal seems.
- Together as to‐night
- In our light, love, in our light
- Of reunited joy appears no shade:
- From this our hope’s reached height
- All things are possible and level made.
- Therefore we sit and view—
- I and you, love, I and you—
- That wondrous valley o’er southern seas,
- Where in a country new
- You will make for me a sweet nest of ease;
- Where I, your poor tired bird,
- (Nothing stirred? Love, nothing stirred?)
- May fold her wings and be no more distrest:
- Where troubles may be heard
- Like outside winds at night which deepen rest.
- Where in green pastures wide
- We’ll abide, love, we’ll abide,
- And keep content our patriarchal flocks,
- Till at our aged side
- Leap our young brown‐faced shepherds of the rocks.
- Ah, tale that’s easy told!
- (Hold my hand, love, tighter hold.)
- What if this face of mine, which you think fair—
- If it should ne’er grow old,
- Nor matron cap cover this maiden hair?
- What if this silver ring
- (Loose it clings, love, yet does cling:)
- Should ne’er be changed for any other? nay,
- This very hand I fling.
- About your neck should—Hush! to‐day’s to‐day:
- To‐morrow is—ah, whose?
- You’ll not lose, love, you’ll not lose
- This hand I pledged, if never a wife’s hand
- For tender household use
- Led by your fearless into a far, far land.
- Kiss me and do not grieve;
- I believe, love, I believe
- That He who holds the measure of our days,
- And did thus strangely weave
- Our opposite lives together, to His praise—
- He never will divide
- Us so wide, love, us so wide:
- But will, whate’er befalls us, clearly show
- That those in Him allied
- In life or death are nearer than they know.
