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| MY little love, my darling, | |
| You were a doorway to me; | |
| You let me out of the confines | |
| Into this strange countrie, | |
| Where people are crowded like thistles, | 5 |
| Yet are shapely and comely to see. | |
| |
| My little love, my dearest | |
| Twice have you issued me, | |
| Once from your womb, sweet mother, | |
| Once from myself, to be | 10 |
| Free of all hearts, my darling, | |
| Of each hearts home-life free. | |
| |
| And so, my love, my mother, | |
| I shall always be true to you; | |
| Twice I am born, my dearest, | 15 |
| To life, and to death, in you; | |
| And this is the life hereafter | |
| Wherein I am true. | |
| |
| I kiss you good-bye, my darling, | |
| Our ways are different now; | 20 |
| You are a seed in the night-time, | |
| I am a man, to plough | |
| The difficult glebe of the future | |
| For God to endow. | |
| |
| I kiss you good-bye, my dearest, | 25 |
| It is finished between us here. | |
| Oh, if I were calm as you are, | |
| Sweet and still on your bier! | |
| O God, if I had not to leave you | |
| Alone, my dear! | 30 |
| |
| Let the last word be uttered, | |
| Oh grant the farewell is said! | |
| Spare me the strength to leave you | |
| Now you are dead. | |
| I must go, but my soul lies helpless | 35 |
| Beside your bed. | |
| |