Love Songs

A book by Sara Teasdale

I loved every word in this book.

It made me cry, smile, laugh, and most importantly it made me feel that I am everything to myself even when the world turns away its eyes from me.

The poems I have loved enough are listed below:

1. 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 and calling.

2. 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.

3. The Look

Strephon kissed me in the spring Robin in the fall But Colin only looked at me And never kissed at all.

Strephon’s kiss was lost in jest Robin’s lost in play But the kiss in Colin’s eyes Haunts me night and day.

4. A Winter Night

My window-pane is starred with frost The world is bitter cold to-night The moon is cruel and the wind Is like a two-edged sword to smite.

God pity all the homeless ones The beggars pacing to and fro God pity all the poor to-night Who walk the lamp-lit streets of snow.

My room is like a bit of June Warm and close-curtained fold on fold But somewhere, like a homeless child My heart is crying in the cold.

5. The Song For Colin

I sang a song at dusking time Beneath the evening star And Terence left his latest rhyme To answer from afar. Pierrot laid down his lute to weep And sighed, “She sings for me.” But Colin slept a careless sleep Beneath an apple tree.

6. Debt

What do I owe to you Who loved me deep and long You never gave my spirit wings Or gave my heart a song. But oh, to him I loved Who loved me not at all I owe the open gate That led through heaven’s wall.

7. Faults

They came to tell your faults to me They named them over one by one I laughed aloud when they were done I knew them all so well before Oh, they were blind, too blind to see Your faults had made me love you more.

8. Buried Love

I have come to bury love Beneath a tree In the forest tall and black Where none can see.

I shall put no flowers at his head, Nor stone at his feet For the mouth I loved so much Was bittersweet.

I shall go no more to his grave For the woods are cold I shall gather as much of joy As my hands can hold.

I shall stay all day in the sun Where the wide winds blow But oh, I shall cry at night When none will know.

9. I Shall Not Care

When I am dead and over me bright April Shakes out her rain-drenched hair Though you should lean above me broken-hearted I shall not care.

I shall have peace, as leafy trees are peaceful When rain bends down the bough And I shall be more silent and cold-hearted Then you are now.

10. The Kiss

I hoped that he would love me And he has kissed my mouth But I am like a stricken bird That cannot reach the south

For though I know he loves me To-night my heart is sad His kiss was not so wonderful As all the dreams I had.

11. Lessons

Unless I learn to ask no help From any other soul but mine To seek no strength in waving reeds Nor shade beneath a straggling pine Unless I learn to look at Grief Unshrinking from her tear-blind eyes And take from Pleasure fearlessly Whatever gifts will make me wise Unless I learn these things on earth Why was I ever given birth?

12. The Flight

Look back with longing eyes and know that I will follow Lift me up in your love as a light wind lifts a swallow Let our flight be far in sun or blowing rain But what if I heard my first love calling me again.

Hold me on your heart as the brave sea holds the foam Take me far away to the hills that hide your home Peace shall thatch the roof and love shall latch the door But what if I heard my first love calling me once more.

13. I Would Live In Your Love

I would live in your love as the sea-grasses live in the sea Borne up by each wave as it passes, drawn down by each wave that recedes I would empty my soul of the dreams that have gathered in me I would beat with your heart as it beats, I would follow your soul as it leads.

14. The Wind

A wind is blowing over my soul I hear it cry the whole night through Is there no peace for me on earth Except with you Alas, the wind has made me wise Over my naked soul it blew There is no peace for me on earth Even with you

15. Other Men

When I talk with other men I always think of you Your words are keener than their words And they are gentler, too.

When I look at other men I wish your face were there With its gray eyes and dark skin And tossed black hair.

When I think of other men Dreaming alone by day The thought of you like a strong wind Blows the dreams away.

Gurpreet Dhariwal is the author of Three books. Her books are available on Amazon, Flipkart, and BlueRose. Connect with Gurpreet at www.gurpreetdhariwal.com