<h2>XXVI</h2>
<p>I lived with visions for my company<br/>
Instead of men and women, years ago,<br/>
And found them gentle mates, nor thought to know<br/>
A sweeter music than they played to me.<br/>
But soon their trailing purple was not free<br/>
Of this world’s dust, their lutes did silent grow,<br/>
And I myself grew faint and blind below<br/>
Their vanishing eyes. Then thou didst come—to be,<br/>
Belovëd, what they seemed. Their shining fronts,<br/>
Their songs, their splendours, (better, yet the same,<br/>
As river-water hallowed into fonts)<br/>
Met in thee, and from out thee overcame<br/>
My soul with satisfaction of all wants:<br/>
Because God’s gifts put man’s best dreams to shame.</p>
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