With Esther
July 6, 2023To Manon
July 6, 2023To the Same
I WOULD I had thy courage, dear, to face
This bankruptcy of love, and greet despair
With smiling eyes and unconcerned embrace,
And these few words of banter at “dull care.”
I would that I could sing and comb my hair
Like thee the morning through, and choose my dress,
And gravely argue what I best should wear,
A shade of ribbon or a fold of lace.
I would I had thy courage and thy peace,
Peace passing understanding; that mine eyes
Could find forgetfulness like thine in sleep;
That all the past for me like thee could cease
And leave me cheerfully, sublimely wise,
Like David with washed face who ceased to weep.
Wilfrid Scawen Blunt
Wilfrid Scawen Blunt (1840-1922) was an English poet and writer who is best known for his poems and prose works that explored his political and social beliefs. Blunt was a strong advocate for animal rights and was actively involved in the struggle for Irish independence. His most famous works include "The Love Sonnets of Proteus" and "My Diaries: Being a Personal Narrative of Events, 1888-1914."