Quotes from Sara Teasdale

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?

Oh, because you never tried To bow my will or break my pride, And nothing of the cave-man made You want to keep me half afraid, Nor ever with a conquering air You thought to draw me unaware— Take me, for I love you more Than I ever loved before.

Like Barley Bending" Like barley bending In low fields by the sea, Singing in hard wind Ceaselessly; Like barley bending And rising again, So would I, unbroken, Rise from pain; So would I softly, Day long, night long, Change my sorrow Into song.

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,– But oh, the summer rains that blow In silver on the jewel-weeds!

Ambition is your special ware And you have dared to call it passion.

And a woman I used to know Who loved one man from her youth, Against the strength of the fates Fighting in somber pride, Never spoke of this thing, But hearing his name by chance, A light would pass over her face. -"Those Who Love

I can answer spring at last, Love is near me!

In Warsaw in Poland Half the world away, The one I love best of all Thought of me to-day; I know, for I went Winged as a bird, In the wide flowing wind His own voice I heard; His arms were round me In a ferny place, I looked in the pool And there was his face– But now it is night And the cold stars say: 'Warsaw in Poland Is half the world away.

For you would never be content With just a corner in my room, Yea, if you came the rest must go ? Into the gloom. And so, farewell, O friend, my friend! Nay, I could weep a little too, But I shall only smile and say ? Farewell to you.

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?

I shall gather myself into myself again, I shall take my scattered selves and make them one,

Evening: New York Blue dust of evening over my city, Over the ocean of roofs and the tall towers Where the window-lights, myriads and myriads, Bloom from the walls like climbing flowers.

The April night is still and sweet With flowers on every tree; Peace comes to them on quiet feet, But not to me. My peace is hidden in his breast Where I shall never be, Loves come to-night to all the rest, But not to me.

The years had not sharpened their smooth round faces, I met their eyes and found them mild— Do they, too, dream of me, I wonder, And for them am I too a child?

Peace flows into me As the tide to the pool by the shore; It is mine forevermore, It ebbs not back like the sea. I am the pool of blue That worships the vivid sky; My hopes were heaven-high, They are all fulfilled in you. I am the pool of gold When sunset burns and dies,– You are my deepening skies, Give me your stars to hold.

Child, child, love while you can The voice and the eyes and the soul of a man; 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.

It will not hurt me when I am old, A running tide where moonlight burned Will not sting me like silver snakes; The years will make me sad and cold, It is the happy heart the breaks. The hearts asks more than life can give, When that is learned, then all is learned; The waves break fold on jewelled fold, But beauty itself is fugitive, It will not hurt me when I am old.

To-night I close my eyes and see A strange procession passing me– The years before I saw your face Go by me with a wistful grace; They pass, the sensitive, shy years, As one who strives to dance, half blind with tears. The years went by and never knew That each one brought me nearer you; Their path was narrow and apart And yet it led me to your heart– Oh, sensitive, shy years, oh, lonely years, That strove to sing with voices drown in tears.

I know the stars by their names, Aldebaran, Altair, And I know the path they take Up heaven's broad blue stair. I know the secrets of men By the look of their eyes, Their gray thoughts, their strange thoughts Have made me sad and wise.

May Night" The spring is fresh and fearless And every leaf is new, The world is brimmed with moonlight, The lilac brimmed with dew. Here in the moving shadows I catch my breath and sing-- My heart is fresh and fearless And over-brimmed with spring.

I am not yours, not lost in you, Not lost, although I long to be Lost as a candle lit at noon, Lost as a snowflake in the sea. You love me, and I find you still A spirit beautiful and bright, Yet I am I, who long to be Lost as a light is lost in light. Oh plunge me deep in love--put out My senses, leave me deaf and blind, Swept by the tempest of your love, A taper in a rushing wind.

You took my empty dreams And filled them every one With tenderness and nobleness, April and the sun. The old empty dreams Where my thoughts would throng Ae far too full of happiness To even hold a song. Oh, the empty dreams were dim And the empty dreams were wide, They were sweet and shadowy houses Where my thoughts could hide.

Dusk in Autumn" The moon is like a scimitar, A little silver scimitar, A-drifting down the sky. And near beside it is a star, A timid twinkling golden star, That watches likes an eye. And thro' the nursery window-pane The witches have a fire again, Just like the ones we make,— And now I know they're having tea, I wish they'd give a cup to me, With witches' currant cake.

I saw above a sea of hills A solitary planet shine, And there was no one, near or far, to keep the world from being mine.