Irene's Dream
The thief who robbed me of the years to come,
And doomed them to so desolate a close.
I scorn him, but I suffer, suffer still.
Friend. He made no vow, he broke no pledge to you;
And what cares love for vows? Be still his friend!
Irene. How found true friendship on a love betrayed?
If he had come to me in generous pain,
And said "Forgive me! I did love you once,
But now I love another." Then at least
I could have honoured him for his brave truth,
And for the truth's sake would have pardoned him,
Mourning that imperfection in myself
Which made my heart so powerless to hold his.
But thus to leave me feeling in the dark
In blind despair, to know how first, and why,
I lost my treasure, whether it slipped from me.
Oh, I complain not that he weds with her,
Since her he loves, not me; but could I know,
Could I but know that he did love me once,
I were content.
Friend. But that you cannot know;
For men deny their love when it is passed,
Deny first and forget it afterwards.
And doomed them to so desolate a close.
I scorn him, but I suffer, suffer still.
Friend. He made no vow, he broke no pledge to you;
And what cares love for vows? Be still his friend!
Irene. How found true friendship on a love betrayed?
If he had come to me in generous pain,
And said "Forgive me! I did love you once,
But now I love another." Then at least
I could have honoured him for his brave truth,
And for the truth's sake would have pardoned him,
Mourning that imperfection in myself
Which made my heart so powerless to hold his.
But thus to leave me feeling in the dark
In blind despair, to know how first, and why,
I lost my treasure, whether it slipped from me.
Oh, I complain not that he weds with her,
Since her he loves, not me; but could I know,
Could I but know that he did love me once,
I were content.
Friend. But that you cannot know;
For men deny their love when it is passed,
Deny first and forget it afterwards.
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