The first of these my loves burns as a star That lifts its keen, white glory into space With virgin fervor, lavishing afar Its vivid purity: and in the face Of changeful worlds it glows unaltered still. So burns my flame of friendship. In its sight All things are silvered with a new delight And beauty’s self strikes deeper, till the thrill Of mere existence vibrates like a string. Then life is grown so taut that it must sing, And all the little hills must clap their hands. The soul is free as never bird on wing To bathe in friendship like a sea of light: And ever as it mounts the sea expands In new infinities, and each new height Grows keener than the last, until the mind For very dizziness sweeps downward then To simpler things, the cadence of a voice, Or sweet, low laughter, idle as the wind, Or fleeting touch of hands that quick rejoice But ask no more and do not touch again. With this white flame there comes a strange new peace, A deep tranquillity unknown beside, Where all my life’s cross-currents shift and cease Like runways in the sand before the tide. And all that I have longed to be, the brave High dreams of youth that languished nigh forgot Seem half accomplished. Easy now to slave At tasks colossal, so my friend fail not. And I am filled with gentle wonderment That life can be so good and breath so sweet: While all my world grows suddenly complete. That I must love it with a new content. So speech grows overfull, and we are fain To drink of silence like a golden cup With wine of sweet companionship filled up That has no end, nor any thirst can drain. And so at last no wish is left to me Save thus to dream into eternity. This is my first white love.