Saturday, July 18, 2015

A soul without a stain…

A few days ago, as I delved through past portfolios of my work, I found a portrait that I painted forty years ago.  It is of my faithful and courageous first wife Norma (1946 – 1980).  Although my painting shows her in pensive mood, she is remembered best for her laughter.

Andrew Lang’s poem Lost Love offers consolation for a life and love that is lost all too soon.

Who wins his love shall lose her,
Who loses her shall gain,
For still the spirit woos her,
A soul without a stain;
And memory pursues her
With longings not in vain.

He loses her who gains her,
Who watches day by day
The dust of time that stains her,
The griefs that leave her gray –
The flesh that yet enchains her
Whose grace hath passed away.

Oh, happier he who gains not
The love some seems to gain:
The joy that custom stains not
Shall still with him remain;
The loveliness that wanes not,
The love that ne’re can wane.

In dreams she grows not older
The land of dreams among;
Though all the world wax colder,
Though all the songs be sung,
In dreams doth he behold her
            Still fair and kind and young.


No comments:

Post a Comment