A FAREWELL, a poem

"The utmost for the highest."—Motto of George F. Watts.

AVE! Thou goest from us,
     Apart from us to dwell;
Through sacrifice to find thyself.
     Ave!—but not farewell.

Thou hast dreamed a dream of Leisure;
     Thou hast heard her call thy name,—
The handmaid of enduring Art,
     Who feeds the quenchless flame,—
And after the Ideal
     Thou wistfully would'st fare,
Before whose shrine 't is blest to wait,
     Though ne'er to enter there!

Go forth,—for thou hast willed it,
     Untrammelled as the sea!
To find new forms of loveliness,
     Go forth! Lo, thou art free
To hope, to learn, to listen,
     To be breathed upon, inspired,
To wait on the unhasting gods,
     With soul intent, untired;

Careless of gain or profit,
     Of markets, or applause,
To yield thy heart to Nature's heart,
     To learn her dearer laws;
To gaze beyond the present,—
     From the fleeting view of things,
To lift the vision up and up;
     To feel the growth of wings;

Through love and self-denial,
     To gain at last the goal
That hidden from the vulgar gaze
     Beckons the purer soul;
Naught asking of the moment,
     Content to strive and strive,
Knowing when lesser gods depart,
     The gods themselves arrive!

 

Ave! Thou goest from us,
     Apart from us to dwell;
Through sacrifice to find thyself.
     Ave!—but not farewell!

"A Farewell" by Florence Earle Coates. Published in Lyrics of Life (1909) and Poems (1916) Volume II.