As the Heart Hopes
As the Heart Hopes - meaning Summary
Love Beyond Death
The speaker marks a year since a beloved's absence and imagines that person wandering glorious celestial realms. Despite visions of stars, angels, and paradise, the speaker insists that earthly intimacy—shared looks, simple evenings, gathered violets—surpasses any heavenly splendor. The poem contrasts cosmic wonder with private, domestic affection and closes by asserting that, however far the beloved roams, their true home remains in the speaker's heart.
Read Complete AnalysesIt is a year dear one, since you afar Went out beyond my yearning mortal sight A wondrous year! perchance in many a star You have sojourned, or basked within the light Of mightier suns; it may be you have trod The glittering pathways of the Pleiades, And through the Milky Way's white mysteries Have walked at will, fire-shod. You may have gazed in the immortal eyes Of prophets and of martyrs; talked with seers Learned in all the lore of Paradise, The infinite wisdom of eternal years; To you the Sons of Morning may have sung, The impassioned strophes of their matin hymn, For you the choirs of the seraphim Their harpings wild out-flung. But still I think at eve you come to me For old, delightsome speech of eye and lip, Deeming our mutual converse thus to be Fairer than archangelic comradeship; Dearer our close communings fondly given Than all the rainbow dreams a spirit knows, Sweeter my gathered violets than the rose Upon the hills of heaven. Can any exquisite, unearthly morn, Silverly breaking o'er a starry plain, Give to your soul the poignant pleasure born Of virgin moon and sunset's lustrous stain When we together watch them ? Oh, apart A hundred universes you may roam, But still I knowI knowyour only home Is here within my heart!
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