The Hidden Scorn of the Heart
The hidden scorn of the heart,
Subtle and proud and still,
Was bold before love began.
It is the better part
Of that spirit bright and chill
That is lost in the life of a man.
Friend, to whom I give
My words or my love or my faith,
The wind takes more than this-
The wind, so long as I live,
Claims more in one shadowy breath
Than your touch or your mortal kiss.
Structure
12 lines · 2 stanzas