REMEMBRANCE

Cold in the earth – and the deep snow piled above thee,
Far, far removed, cold in the dreary grave!
Have I forgot, my only Love, to love thee,
Severed ar last by Time;s all severing wave?

Now, when alone, do my thoughts no longer hover
Over the mountains, on that northern shore,
Resting their wings where heath and fern – leaves cover
That noble heart for ever, ever more ?

Cold in the earth – and fifteen wild Decembers
From those brown hills, have melted into spring –
Faithful indeed is the spirit that remembers
After such years of change and suffering !

Sweet Love of youth, forgive if I forget thee,
While the wolrd’s tide is bearing me along,
Other desires and darker hopes beset me,
Hopes which obscure, but can not do thee wrong !

No later light has lightened up my heaven,
No second morn has ever shone for me,
All my life’s bliss from thy dear life was given –
All my life’s bliss is in the grave with thee

But, when the days of golden dreams had perished,
And even Despair was powerless to destroy,Then did I learn how existence could be cherished,
Strengthened, and fed without the aid of joy,

Then did I check the tears of useless passion,
Wearned my young soul from yearning after thine,
Sternly denied its burning wish to hasten
Down to that tomb already more than mine !

And, even yet, I dare not let it languish,
Dare not indulge in memory’s rapturuous pain,
Once drinking deep if that divinest anguish,
How could I seek the empty world again ?

Emily Bronte,
1818 – 1848

Taken from “The Top 500 Poems” – Columbia University