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Two human
loves make one divine
How do I love thee? let me count the ways,
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height. My soul can
reach, when feeling out of sight. For the ends of Being and
ideal Grace. I love thee to the level of every day's most
quite need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as
men strive for Right; I love thee purely, as they turn from
Praise, I love thee with the passion put to use in my
old grief's, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with
a love I seemed to lose. With my lost saints - I love thee
with the breath. Smiles, tears of all my life!-and if God
choose, I shall but love thee better after death.
If thou must love
me, let it be for naught
Except for love's sake only. Do not say
'I love her for her smile--her look--her way
Of speaking gently,--for a trick of thought
That falls in well with mine, and certes brought
A sense of pleasant ease on such a day'--
For these things in themselves, Beloved, may
Be changed, or change for thee,--and love, so wrought,
May be unwrought so. Neither love me for
Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheeks dry,--
A creature might forget to weep, who bore
Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby !
But love me for love's sake, that evermore
Thou mayst love on, through love's eternity.
What I do and what I dream include thee, as
the wine must taste of its own grapes
The face of all the world is changed, I think,
Since first I heard the footsteps of thy soul
Love me, sweet, with all thou art, Feeling,
thinking, seeing. - Love me in the lightest part, Love me in full
being.
Whoever lives true life will love true love
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