All That Love Asks

"All that I ask," says Love, "is just to stand     And gaze, unchided, deep in thy dear eyes;     For in their depths lies largest Paradise.         Yet, if perchance one pressure of thy hand     Be granted me, then joy I thought complete         Were still more sweet."         "All that I ask," says Love, "all that I ask,     Is just thy hand clasp. Could I brush thy cheek     As zephyrs brush a rose leaf, words are weak         To tell the bliss in which my soul would bask.     There is no language but would desecrate         A joy so great."         "All that I ask, is just one tender touch     Of that soft cheek. Thy pulsing palm in mine,     Thy dark eyes lifted in a trust divine         And those curled lips that tempt me overmuch     Turned where I may not seize the supreme bliss         Of one mad kiss.         "All that I ask," says Love, "of life, of death,     Or of high heaven itself, is just to stand,     Glance melting into glance, hand twined in hand,         The while I drink the nectar of thy breath,     In one sweet kiss, but one, of all thy store,         I ask no more."         "All that I ask" -nay, self-deceiving Love,     Reverse thy phrase, so thus the words may fall,     In place of "all I ask," say, "I ask all,"         All that pertains to earth or soars above,     All that thou wert, art, will be, body, soul,         Love asks the whole.