C.D. Warner, et al., comp. The Library of the World’s Best Literature.
An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.

Love at Sea

Imitated from Théophile Gautier

WE are in Love’s hand to-day:

Where shall we go?

Love, shall we start or stay,

Or sail or row?

There’s many a wind and way,

And never a May but May;

We are in Love’s hand to-day:

Where shall we go?

Our land wind is the breath

Of sorrows kissed to death

And joys that were;

Our ballast is a rose;

Our way lies where God knows

And Love knows where.

We are in Love’s hand to-day—

Our seamen are fledged Loves,

Our masts are bills of doves,

Our decks fine gold;

Our ropes are dead maids’ hair,

Our stores are love-shafts fair

And manifold.

We are in Love’s hand to-day—

Where shall we land you sweet?

On fields of strange men’s feet,

Or fields near home?

Or where the fire-flowers blow,

Or where the flowers of snow

Or flowers of foam?

We are in Love’s hand to-day—

Land me, she says, where Love

Shows but one shaft, one dove,

One heart, one hand:

A shore like that, my dear,

Lies where no man will steer,

No maiden land.