Explore "The Wind of Sorrow (Sonnets)" by Henry Van Dyke on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
The fire of love was burning, yet so low / That in the dark we scarce could see its rays, / And in the light of perfect-placid days / Nothing but smouldering embers dull and slow. / Vainly, for love's delight, we sought to throw / New pleasures on the pyre to make it blaze: / In life's calm air and tranquil-prosperous ways / We missed the radiant heat of long ago.
Then in the night, a night of sad alarms, / Bitter with pain and black with fog of fears, / That drove us trembling to each other's arms -- / Across the gulf of darkness and salt tears, / Into life's calm the wind of sorrow came, / And fanned the fire of love to clearest flame.
March, 1903.