Part 1

Produced by A. Light and L. Bowser. For Gwenette.

Love Songs

Sara Teasdale

Author of "Rivers to the Sea", "Helen of Troy and Other Poems", Etc.

To E.

I have remembered beauty in the night, Against black silences I waked to see A shower of sunlight over Italy And green Ravello dreaming on her height; I have remembered music in the dark, The clean swift brightness of a fugue of Bach's, And running water singing on the rocks When once in English woods I heard a lark.

But all remembered beauty is no more Than a vague prelude to the thought of you-- You are the rarest soul I ever knew, Lover of beauty, knightliest and best; My thoughts seek you as waves that seek the shore, And when I think of you, I am at rest.

Prefatory Note

Beside new poems, this book contains lyrics taken from "Rivers to the Sea", "Helen of Troy and Other Poems", and one or two from an earlier volume.

Contents

Barter Twilight Night Song at Amalfi The Look A Winter Night A Cry Gifts But Not to Me Song at Capri Child, Child Love Me Pierrot Wild Asters The Song for Colin Four Winds Debt Faults Buried Love The Fountain I Shall Not Care After Parting A Prayer Spring Night May Wind Tides After Love New Love and Old The Kiss Swans The River November Spring Rain The Ghost Summer Night, Riverside Jewels

Interlude: Songs out of Sorrow

I. Spirit's House II. Mastery III. Lessons IV. Wisdom V. In a Burying Ground VI. Wood Song VII. Refuge

III

The Flight Dew To-night Ebb Tide I Would Live in Your Love Because The Tree of Song The Giver April Song The Wanderer The Years Enough Come Joy Riches Dusk in War Time Peace Moods Houses of Dreams Lights "I Am Not Yours" Doubt The Wind Morning Other Men Embers Message The Lamp

A November Night

Love Songs

Barter

Life has loveliness to sell, All beautiful and splendid things, Blue waves whitened on a cliff, Soaring fire that sways and sings, And children's faces looking up Holding wonder like a cup.

Life has loveliness to sell, Music like a curve of gold, Scent of pine trees in the rain, Eyes that love you, arms that hold, And for your spirit's still delight, Holy thoughts that star the night.

Spend all you have for loveliness, Buy it and never count the cost; For one white singing hour of peace Count many a year of strife well lost, And for a breath of ecstasy Give all you have been, or could be.

Twilight

Dreamily over the roofs The cold spring rain is falling; Out in the lonely tree A bird is calling, calling.

Slowly over the earth The wings of night are falling; My heart like the bird in the tree Is calling, calling, calling.

Night Song at Amalfi

I asked the heaven of stars What I should give my love-- It answered me with silence, Silence above.

I asked the darkened sea Down where the fishers go-- It answered me with silence, Silence below.

Oh, I could give him weeping, Or I could give him song-- But how can I give silence, My whole life long?