Four Love Songs

  My heart to thy heart,
    My hand to thine;
  My lip to thy lips,
    Kisses are wine
Brewed for the lover in sunshine and shade;
Let me drink deep, then, my African maid.

  Lily to lily,
    Rose unto rose;
  My love to thy love
    Tenderly grows.
Rend not the oak and the ivy in twain,
Nor the swart maid from her swarthier swain.

Come when the nights are bright with stars
  Or when the moon is mellow;
Come when the sun his golden bars
  Drops on the hay-field yellow.
Come in the twilight soft and gray,
Come in the night or come in the day,
Come, O love, whene'er you may,
  And you are welcome, welcome.

You are sweet, O Love, dear Love,
You are soft as the nesting dove.
Come to my heart and bring it rest
As the bird flies home to its welcome nest.

Come when my heart is full of grief
  Or when my heart is merry;
Come with the falling of the leaf
  Or with the redd'ning cherry.
Come when the year's first blossom blows,
Come when the summer gleams and glows,
Come with the winter's drifting snows,
  And you are welcome, welcome.

If you could sit with me beside the sea to–day,
And whisper with me sweetest dreamings o’er and o’er;
I think I should not find the clouds so dim and gray,
And not so loud the waves complaining at the shore.

If you could sit with me upon the shore to–day,
And hold my hand in yours as in the days of old,
I think I should not mind the chill baptismal spray,
Nor find my hand and heart and all the world so cold.

If you could walk with me upon the strand to–day,
And tell me that my longing love had won your own,
I think all my sad thoughts would then be put away,
And I could give back laughter for the Ocean’s moan!

The lark is silent in his nest,
  The breeze is sighing in its flight,
Sleep, Love, and peaceful be thy rest.
  Good-night, my love, good-night, good-night.

Sweet dreams attend thee in thy sleep,
  To soothe thy rest till morning's light,
And angels round thee vigil keep.
  Good-night, my love, good-night, good-night.

Sleep well, my love, on night's dark breast,
  And ease thy soul with slumber bright;
Be joy but thine and I am blest.
  Good-night, my love, good-night, good-night.