Poems (Storrie)/Love's Challenge
Love's Challenge.
The tightening of a saddle-girth, The buttoning of a glove; Now who could think such trifles worth The passion touch of love?
Saltbush on the windy plain, The clink of iron hoofs, Fictitious airs of sweet disdain, Half-serious reproofs—
A cloud with rosy edges, A dim moon through the trees, And promises and pledges To last Eternities.
A quickening of the heart-beats, A faltering of the breath, And lip on yielding lip meets,— And Love has challenged Death.
For this the world was made and set Upon its wheeling way; For this the stars in Heaven are met, And Night displaceth Day.
For this, and this, and this again, Oh, little love of mine! Now who shall prate of grief and pain And who shall ask a sign?
Your thoughts are wings that lift mine own Into a larger air, And odours sweet and strange are blown Through alleys, cool and fair,
That lead to fairy meadows, deep With purple flowers and white, Where never Dawn disturbeth sleep Nor Time reproves delight.
A fading of horizon bars, Dusk veiling all the plain, A star that beckons other stars Nor beckons them in vain.
Impatient hoofs that paw the sand, A softly-whinnied plea Love! lay in mine that little hand: Life waits for you and me.