To Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin.

1.     Mine eyes were dim with tears unshed;     Yes, I was firm - thus wert not thou; -     My baffled looks did fear yet dread     To meet thy looks - I could not know     How anxiously they sought to shine     With soothing pity upon mine.     2.     To sit and curb the soul's mute rage     Which preys upon itself alone;     To curse the life which is the cage     Of fettered grief that dares not groan,     Hiding from many a careless eye     The scorned load of agony.     3.     Whilst thou alone, then not regarded,     The ... thou alone should be,     To spend years thus, and be rewarded,     As thou, sweet love, requited me     When none were near - Oh! I did wake     From torture for that moment's sake.     4.     Upon my heart thy accents sweet     Of peace and pity fell like dew     On flowers half dead; - thy lips did meet     Mine tremblingly; thy dark eyes threw     Their soft persuasion on my brain,     Charming away its dream of pain.     5.     We are not happy, sweet! our state     Is strange and full of doubt and fear;     More need of words that ills abate; -     Reserve or censure come not near     Our sacred friendship, lest there be     No solace left for thee and me.     6.     Gentle and good and mild thou art,     Nor can I live if thou appear     Aught but thyself, or turn thine heart     Away from me, or stoop to wear     The mask of scorn, although it be     To hide the love thou feel'st for me.     NOTES:     _2 wert 1839; did 1824.     _3 fear 1824, 1839; yearn cj. Rossetti.     _23 Their 1839; thy 1824.     _30 thee]thou 1824, 1839.     _32 can I 1839; I can 1824.     _36 feel'st 1839; feel 1824.