Potiphar's Wife and Other Poems/"Sayonara"
"SAYONARA."
Which word, of all the words for parting made,
Seems best to say, and sweetest, being said?
Which holds most tenderness, and least despair,
And lingers longest in the loved one's ear?
O Yoshi San! O Fuku San! when we
Must say "Good-by," shall that the last word be,
Our English "God be with you?" or, in phrase
Of Persia, "Khuda hafîz"—"All your days
Heaven keep you!" Or, as the Egyptians do,
"Lailatak saïd!"—"Happy night to you!"
Or, in the Arab manner, hand on brow,
"Salaam aleikum!"—"Peace be with you now!"
Or, in the soft Italian—"Addio!"
"To God I give you, since—alas!—I go."
"Ora d' partenza!" Or, as they of Spain,
"Hasta la vista!"—"Till we meet again!"
"Vaya con Dios!"—"Go thy ways with God!"
Or lightly, with the lively Frenchman's nod,
"Bon soir, mais sans adieu!"—" Good-night, and yet
No speech of parting till once more we are met!"
Or solemn Sanskrit "Swâgatam;" or word
Of guttural German, at hand-shaking heard,
"Auf wiedersehen." Or any far-fetched speech
Of India, China, Russia, seeking each
Some pretty gentle wish to charm away
The sorrow of the thing they have to say?
No! it shall not be any one of these,
But "Sayonara," in soft Japanese;
For this at worst, means "Since it must be so!"
And, while we speak the sad word, who can know
We shall not change it to "So de wa nai!"
And have no Sayonara then to say?