Love
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When Our Two Souls
Stand Up Erect and Strong
Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)
When our two
souls stand up erect and strong,
Face to face,
silent, drawing nigh and nigher,
Until the
lengthening wings break into fire
At Either
curved point, - what bitter wrong
Can the earth
do to us, that we should not long
Be here contented?
Think. In mounting higher,
The angels
would press us on and aspire
To drop some
golden orb or perfect song
Into our
deep, dear silence. Let us stay
Rather on
earth, Beloved - where the unfit
Contrarious
moods of men recoil away
And isolate
pure spirits, and permit
A place to
stand and love in for a day,
With darkness
and the death-hour rounding it.
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