Quotes from Sara Teasdale

I know the stars by their names, Aldebaran, Altair, And I know the path they take Up heaven's broad blue stair. I know secrets of men By the look of their eyes, Their gray thoughts, their strange thoughts Have made me sad and wise. But your eyes are dark to me Though they seem to call and call– I cannot tell if you love me Or do not love me at all. I know many things, But the years come and go, I shall die not knowing The thing I long to know.

And when you spoke to me, I did not know That to my life's high altar came its priest.

There will be stars over the place forever; Though the house we loved and the street we loved are lost, Every time the earth circles her orbit On the night the autumn equinox is crossed, Two stars we knew, poised on the peak of midnight Will reach their zenith; stillness will be deep; There will be stars over the place forever, There will be stars forever, while we sleep.

Now at last I have come to see what life is, Nothing is ever ended, everything only begun, And the brave victories that seem so splendid Are never really won. Even love that I built my spirit's house for, Comes like a brooding and a baffled guest, And music and men's praise and even laughter Are not so good as rest.

We are two eagles Flying together Under the heavens, Over the mountains, Stretched on the wind. Sunlight heartens us, Blind snow baffles us, Clouds wheel after us Ravelled and thinned. We are like eagles But when Death harries us, Human and humbled When one of us goes, Let the other follow, Let the flight be ended, Let the fire blacken, Let the book close.

Never again the music blown as brightly Off of my heart as foam blown off a wave; Never again the melody that lightly Caressed my grief and healed the wounds it gave. Never again–I hear my dark thoughts clashing Sullen and blind as waves that beat a wall– Age that is coming, summer that is going, All I have lost or never found at all.

O Soul," I said, "have you no tears? Was not the body dear to you?" I heard my soul say carelessly, "The myrtle flowers will grow more blue.

Morning Song A diamond of a morning Waked me an hour too soon; Dawn had taken in the stars And left the faint white moon. O white moon, you are lonely, It is the same with me, But we have the world to roam over, Only the lonely are free.

I am wild, I will sing to the trees, I will sing to the stars in the sky, I love, I am loved, he is mine, Now at last I can die! I am sandaled with wind and with flame, I have heart-fire and singing to give, I can tread on the grass or the stars, Now at last I can live!

Oh, I could let the world go by, Its loud new wonders and its wars, BUt how will I give up the sky When winter dusk is set with stars? And I could let the cities go, Their changing customs and their creeds,– In silver on the jewel-weeds!

Your eyes drink of me, Love makes them shine, Your eyes that lean So close to mine. We have long been lovers, We know the range Of each other's moods And how they change; But when we look At each other so Then we feel How little we know; The spirit eludes us, Timid and free– Can I ever know you Or you know me?

If I can sing, I still am free.

I would beat with your heart as it beats, I would follow your soul as it leads.

She can't be unhappy,' you said, 'The smiles are like stars in her eyes, And her laugh is thistledown Around her low replies.' 'Is she unhappy?' you said– But who has ever known Another's heartbreak– All he can know is how own; And she seems hushed to me, As hushed as though Her heart were a hunter's fire Smothered in snow.

A Cry Oh, there are eyes that he can see, And hands to make his hands rejoice, But to my lover I must be Only a voice. Oh, there are breasts to bear his head, And lips whereon his lips can lie, But I must be till I am dead Only a cry.

When April bends above me And finds me fast asleep, Dust need not keep the secret A live heart died to keep. When April tells the thrushes, The meadow-larks will know, And pipe the three words lightly To all the wind that blow. Above his roof the swallows, In notes like far-blown rain, Will tell the chirping sparrow Beside his window-pane. O sparrow, little sparrow, When I am fast asleep, Then tell my love the secret That I have died to keep.

Never fear though it break your heart— Out of the wound new joy will start; Only love proudly and gladly and well, Though love be heaven or love be hell.

Less than the cloud to the wind, Less than the foam to the sea, Less than the rose to the storm Am I to thee. More than the star to the night, More than the rain to the tree, More than heaven to earth Art thou to me.

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.

I came at last to the ocean And found it wild and black, And I cried to the windless valleys, "Be kind and take me back!

V. Night Song At Amafi 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?

I gave my first love laughter, I gave my second tears, I gave my third love silence Through all the years. My first love gave me singing, My second eyes to see, But oh, it was my third love Who gave my soul to me.

Now while my lips are living Their words must stay unsaid, And will my soul remember To speak when I am dead? Yet if my soul remembered You would not heed it, dear, For now you must now listen, And then you could not hear.

Love me with your whole heart Or give no love to me, Half-love is a poor thing, Neither bond nor free. You must love me gladly Soul and body too, Or else find a new love, And good-by to you.