Untitled (You understood how easily I might have been lost)

You understood how easily I might have been lost
In the deep deceitful river, and kindly
Led me towards the shallows of sentiment where blindly
Lovers may spend their grief at a little cost.
You led me on till I laughed to find under
My feet the dry earth of reason. Now we can part
Nothing has happened these past six months. My heart
Is sealed against you. I have felt no terror or wonder.
Was it that I was too cautious, too burned before?
Or two [sic] mean to accept the sacrifice? Did I calculate
The price of each drop of blood? the price of each breath?
Ah now the field of my love is empty and needs no gate
Because I was careful and frugal I now and poor
Staring across the bare valley to cowardly death.

Today and tomorrow and the day after
I will day-dream dreams of daring, how I dared
The wildest floods of passion at your word
The poet gambles higher, rollicks dafter
Than the dumb children. In words he'll try
The farthest penance of love's ecstasy