Meeting of Phantoms by Anders Osterling

 

I in a vision

Saw my lost sweetheart.

Fearlessly toward me

I saw her stray.

So pale! I thought then;

She smiled her answer:

“My heart, my spirit

I’ve kissed away.

“I to the breezes

Gave my life gladly,

Soon it was vanished,

Gone with a breath.

If I have grieved you,

Pardon the sorrow;

We are but phantoms,

Like now in death.”

My voice I heard then:

“That is forgiven

If unremembrance

Can pardon aught.

Give me again but

My heart, my spirit,–  

You alone found them

Of all that sought.”

Then I came nearer:

“Give me them quickly!

My road is long, love,

I cannot stay.”

She never heard me,

She in the night sang:

“All heart, all spirit

I’ve kissed away.”

I looked aside then,

By memory tortured,

Shrank back in terror

Toward daylight’s door.

I felt upon me

Those dark eyes resting,

Eyes that too well knew

My heart before.

Like wand’ring phantoms

Meseemed we both were–

A sigh, a whisper,

And fled was she.

No more could either

Help now the other,

We saw but, grieving,

That it was we.