Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Silentium Amoris (Author: Oscar Wilde)
p.775
- 1] As often-times the too resplendent sun
2] Hurries the pallid and reluctant moon
3] Back to her sombre cave, ere she hath won
4] A single ballad from the nightingale,
5] So doth thy Beauty make my lips to fail,
6] And all my sweetest singing out of tune.
- 7] And as at dawn across the level mead
8] On wings impetuous some wind will come,
9] And with its too harsh kisses break the reed
10] Which was its only instrument of song,
11] So my too stormy passions work me wrong,
12] And for excess of Love my Love is dumb.
- 13] But surely unto Thee mine eyes did show
14] Why I am silent, and my lute unstrung;
15] Else it were better we should part, and go,
16] Thou to some lips of sweeter melody,
17] And I to nurse the barren memory
18] Of unkissed kisses, and songs never sung.