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And the flowers died on the branches, but I did not feel their loss.
What cared I, with Love beside me, if the sun should hide its light?
He was summer, he was sunshine, by his side there was no night.
Rougher grew the path before us, and the hedges lost their bloom,
Stretching out their thorny branches like long fingers in the gloom.
Then Love lingered slow behind me, saying, ‘Dear, I cannot stay,
For my feet are weary toiling o'er this rough and thorny way,
For the flowerless branches wound me—for the sun has ceased to shine,
And I dread the growing darkness strange with shapes I can't define.’
So I watched them quick departing; Joy and Love went side by side.
‘O my Love, why hast thou left me?’ in my grief I sadly cried;
‘Love braves all and fears no evil, Love gives all unselfishly,
There's no darkness, there's no danger, there's but Love where Love can be.