You walk the sunny side of Fate;
The wise world smiles, and calls you great;
The golden fruitage of success
Drops at your feet in plenteousness;
And you have blessings manifold,--
Renown, and power, and friends, and gold;
They build a wall between us twain
Which may not be thrown down again;--
Alas! for I, the long years through,
Have loved you better than you knew.

Your life's proud aim, your art's high truth
Have kept the promise of your youth;
And while you won the crown which now
Breaks into bloom upon your brow,
My soul cried strongly out to you
Across the ocean's yearning blue,
While, unremembered and afar,
I watched you, as I watch a star
Through darkness struggling into view,
And loved you better than you knew.

I used to dream, in all these years,
Of patient faith and silent tears,--
That Love's strong hand would put aside
The barriers of place and pride,--
Would reach the pathless darkness through,
And draw me softly up to you.
But that is past. If you should stray
Beside my grave, some future day,