I Said to Love by Thomas Hardy

I SAID to Love, / "It is not now as in old days / When men adored thee and thy ways / All else above; / Named thee the Boy, the Bright, the One / Who spread a heaven beneath the sun," / I said to Love.

I said to him, / "We now know more of thee than then; / We were but weak in judgment when, / With hearts abrim, / We clamoured thee that thou would'st please / Inflict on us thine agonies," / I said to him.

I said to Love, / "Thou art not young, thou art not fair, / No faery darts, no cherub air, / Nor swan, nor dove / Are thine; but features pitiless, / And iron daggers of distress," / I said to Love.

"Depart then, Love! . / -Man's race shall end, dost threaten thou? / The age to come the man of now / Know nothing of? - / We fear not such a threat from thee; / We are too old in apathy! / _Mankind shall cease_. -So let it be," / I said to Love.