Love's Tribulation
Treasures of love's white passion flowers
Sweet with desire, so dearly sought;
The breathless unrest of seeing you
For just a happy hour or two
Is bought with such a store of tears
Such anguish, sorrow and such fears;
With sadness and forlorn regret
Such waves of longing to be near you yet
Debasing all my other hours
And frustrate my every other thought.
I can't drink joy drenched in tears,
I need the warmth of kinder days.
The roses that you now give to me
Are white and dear enough to be
A crown that only love could wear;
If only her head could bear
The thorns without the sorry ache,
That crest for love's dear crowning sake:
And all the sorrow of coming years
Bring weary feet that walk the thorny ways.
There's a peace in the twilight skies
Where the sun does not try to shine;
But not here where the transitory glow
Of inflamed bursts of sunshine show;
Only the earth's brown fields wet with rain
With darkened clouds flying fast again
Into a dreary sky like this is
Warmed by no fires of sweet kisses;
But when I see love shine in your eyes
A lightning bolt will shine in mine.
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