My Heart and I


ENOUGH ! we're tired, my heart and I.
  We sit beside the headstone thus,
  And wish that name were carved for us.
The moss reprints more tenderly
  The hard types of the mason's knife,
  As heaven's sweet life renews earth's life
With which we're tired, my heart and I.

  You see we're tired, my heart and I.
    We dealt with books, we trusted men,
  And in our own blood drenched the pen,
As if such colours could not fly.
  We walked too straight for fortune's end,
  We loved too true to keep a friend ;
At last we're tired, my heart and I.

How tired we feel, my heart and I !
  We seem of no use in the world ;
  Our fancies hang grey and uncurled
About men's eyes indifferently ;
  Our voice which thrilled you so, will let
  You sleep; our tears are only wet :
What do we here, my heart and I ?

So tired, so tired, my heart and I !
  It was not thus in that old time
  When Ralph sat with me 'neath the lime
To watch the sunset from the sky.
  `Dear love, you're looking tired,' he said;
  I, smiling at him, shook my head :
'Tis now we're tired, my heart and I.

Elizabeth Barret Browning


Mari
Last modified: Thu Sep 17 17:19:31 MET DST 1998