Emily Bronte(1818–1848)

Remembrance

Cold in the earth—and the deep snow piled above thee,

Far, far removed, cold in the dreary grave!

Have I forgot, my only Love, to love thee,

Severed at last by Time's all-severing wave

Now, when alone, do my thoughts no longer hover

Over the mountains, on that northern shore,

Resting their wings where heath and fern leaves cover

Thy noble heart forever, ever more

Cold in the earth—and fifteen wild Decembers,

From those brown hills, have melted into spring;

Faithful, indeed, is the spirit that remembers

After such years of change and suffering!

Sweet Love of youth, forgive, if I forget thee,

While the world's tide is bearing me along;

Other desires and other hopes beset me,

Hopes which obscure, but cannot do thee wrong!

No later light has lightened up my heaven,

No second morn has ever shone for me;

All my life's bliss f r o m thy dear life w a s given,

All my life's blis s is in t h e grave w i t h t h e e .

But, when the days of golden dreams had perished,

And even Despair was powerless to destroy,

Then did I learn how existence could be cherished,

Strengthened, and fed without the aid of joy.

T h e n did I c h e c k t h e tears of u s e l e s s p a s s i o n —

Weaned my young soul from yearning after thine;

Sternly denied its burning wish to hasten

D o w n t o that t o m b already m o r e t h a n m i n e .

A n d , e v e n yet, I dare n o t let it l a n g u i s h ,

Dare not indulge in memory's rapturous pain;

Once drinking deep of that divinest anguish,

H o w c o u l d I s e e k t h e e m p t y w o r l d again

1846