The Outcast's Farewell

The sun is banished,
The daylight vanished,
No rosy traces
    Are left behind.
Here in the meadow
I watch the shadow
Of forms and faces
    Upon your blind.

Through swift transitions,
In new positions,
My eyes still follow
    One shape most fair.
My heart delaying
Awhile, is playing
With pleasures hollow,
    Which mock despair.

I feel so lonely,
I long once only
To pass an hour
    With you, O sweet!
To touch your fingers,
Where fragrance lingers
From some rare flower,
    And kiss your feet.

But not this even
To me is given.
Of all sad mortals
    Most sad am I,
Never to meet you,
Never to greet you,
Nor pass your portals
    Before I die.

All men scorn me,
Not one will mourn me,
When from their city
    I pass away.
Will you to-morrow
Recall with sorrow
Him whom with pity
    You saw to-day?

Outcast and lonely,
One thing only
Beyond misgiving
    I hold for true,
That, had you known me,
You would have shown me
A life worth living--
    A life for you.

Yes: five years younger
My manhood's hunger
Had you come filling
    With plenty sweet,
My life so nourished,
Had grown and flourished,
Had God been willing
    That we should meet.

How vain to fashion
From dreams and passion
The rich existence
    Which might have been!
Can God's own power
Recall the hour,
Or bridge the distance
    That lies between?

Before the morning,
From pain and scorning
I sail death's river
    To sleep or hell.
To you is given
The life of heaven.
Farewell for ever,
    Farewell, farewell!