O heavy day that comes with so much glee

Out of the East.

It turquoises the silence of the sea

And makes a feast

Of blueness of the waves that shiver and flee.

O heavy day because my love hath gone

And taken away

His white arms and his lips like poppies grown

Athwart that day

When I first saw him and felt my heart moan.

My hands are stretched towards his coming, and

He cometh not.

He seems a woman and his gesturing hand

Too oft bath wrought

Dreams of strange vice with him through my heart's sand.

He is scarce more than a child. His body is white,

His arms lie bare

Across my neck and cling like a delight

Of which my share

Is painful like a far sail in the night.

Oh, love, return! All this is dreams of thee

Return and wake

My trembling frame to that vile misery

That love doth take

For his body when the lovers are such as we.

Golden‑haired boy that cannot love me so

As I love him,

Look, life is short, our lips fade... Ay, I know

I am ugly and dim

But love a little or seem... Love me and go

Yet love ere going, and then let me dream

On what was real while life fades and goes slow...