WE ARE in love’s land to-day; <br />Where shall we go? <br />Love, shall we start or stay, <br />Or sail or row? <br />There’s many a wind and way, <br />And never a May but May; <br />We are in love’s hand to-day; <br />Where shall we go? <br /> <br />Our landwind is the breath <br />Of sorrows kissed to death <br />And joys that were; <br />Our ballast is a rose; <br />Our way lies where God knows <br />And love knows where. <br />We are in love’s hand to-day— <br /> <br />Our seamen are fledged Loves, <br />Our masts are bills of doves, <br />Our decks fine gold; <br />Our ropes are dead maids’ hair, <br />Our stores are love-shafts fair <br />And manifold. <br />We are in love’s land to-day— <br /> <br />Where shall we land you, sweet? <br />On fields of strange men’s feet, <br />Or fields near home? <br />Or where the fire-flowers blow, <br />Or where the flowers of snow <br />Or flowers of foam? <br />We are in love’s hand to-day— <br /> <br />Land me, she says, where love <br />Shows but one shaft, one dove, <br />One heart, one hand. <br />—A shore like that, my dear, <br />Lies where no man will steer, <br />No maiden land.<br /><br />Algernon Charles Swinburne<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/love-at-sea/
