“I loved you: and, it may be, from my soulThe former love has never gone away,But let it not recall to you my dole;I wish not sadden you in any way.I loved you silently, without hope, fully,In diffidence, in jealousy, in pain;I loved you so tenderly and truly,As let you else be loved by any man. ”
“The wondrous moment of our meeting... Still I remember you appear Before me like a vision fleeting, A beauty's angel pure and clear. In hopeless ennui surrounding The worldly bustle, to my ear For long your tender voice kept sounding, For long in dreams came features dear. Time passed. Unruly storms confounded Old dreams, and I from year to year Forgot how tender you had sounded, Your heavenly features once so dear. My backwoods days dragged slow and quiet -- Dull fence around, dark vault above -- Devoid of God and uninspired, Devoid of tears, of fire, of love. Sleep from my soul began retreating, And here you once again appear Before me like a vision fleeting, A beauty's angel pure and clear. In ecstasy my heart is beating, Old joys for it anew revive; Inspired and God-filled, it is greeting The fire, and tears, and love alive.”
“Ever peaceful be you slumberThough your days were few in numberOn this earth-spite took its toll-Yet shall heaven have your soulWith pure love we did regard youFor your loved one did we guard youBut you came not to the groomOnly to a chill dark tomb”
“My whole life has been pledged to this meeting with you...”
“If you but knew the flames that burn in me which I attempt to beat down with my reason.”
“I want to understand you, I study your obscure language.”
“Bound for your distant home"Bound for your distant homeyou were leaving alien lands.In an hour as sad as I’ve knownI wept over your hands.My hands were numb and cold,still trying to restrainyou, whom my hurt toldnever to end this pain.But you snatched your lips awayfrom our bitterest kiss.You invoked another placethan the dismal exile of this.You said, ‘When we meet again,in the shadow of olive-trees,we shall kiss, in a love without pain,under cloudless infinities.’But there, alas, where the skyshines with blue radiance,where olive-tree shadows lieon the waters glittering dance,your beauty, your suffering,are lost in eternity.But the sweet kiss of our meeting ......I wait for it: you owe it me .......”