Ask Me Not

Ask me not, my love,
To tell you how I love you. Can the sun
Tell how he pours out radiance from above?
The leopard tell you how he has each spot?
Can greyhounds tell you how they run?
Then ask me not.

Darling! ask me not, –
But ask the ocean how he fills his shores.
Ask of the fire how it stays so hot.
Ask dolphins how they gambol in the sea.
Ask of the lion how he roars –
But ask not me.

How should I tell, sweet?
Can robins tell you how they chirp and sing?
Can swift time tell you how his moments fleet?
Can bluebells tell you what their blue is for?
Could church bells tell you how they ring?
I can no more.

Ask but this instead:
Can time turn back? Can under be above?
Can spoken words again become unsaid?
Can true love die? The world may pass away,
And life and time run out, my love, –
But love will stay.

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