You Shall Be Free Poem by Salvie Rosales

I
I shall not hold you by restraining hands
Nor yet my tears that silently accuse.
You shall be free-like waters on the stand
That come, and go, and tarry as they choose.
I shall not speak of days sweet to remember,
Of lanes we trod through April sun and shower,
Of twilight tryst through early-starred November,
Prolonged each twilight by an evening hour…
No, not a word to hint of that or this-
Lest speaking so your going I impede.
I shall resign myself to all that is-
Like unto sand when cooling waves recede.
O while the strength of seeing love undone
Still stands by me, I pray you, love, be gone!
II
There shall be many hearts to await your coming;
There shall be many lips, your thirst to slake;
And when your errant spirit tires of roaming,
Arms shall reach out, your wearied form to take.
You shall have many loves-but not one prove
Trusting or true, whence you shall no remorse
Wasting your years, dissuading you from love,
Who see in age and lovelessness a curse.
Then shall you look back-futilely-to me,
Back to my days that cannot dawn again
Except on dream or taunting memory;
While in my turn, O I shall smile, for then
I shall have seen your sun to soon decline,
I shall have had the vengeance that is mine.