Sometimes love sets sail on some distant journey
To get farther and farther away from me.
I see the journey going round the world
In the most vivid color – as an apparatus
For its own painting – or at least so I presume.
I long for love's conversation but
It is too far away it seems.
What wretch is this that hazards this life?
What thanks is this nature capable of returning?
This wretch will be repaid only with
Insults and injuries.
Any blessings in store for the meek and the
Gentle heart might be disinherited by it.
If hope is that which keeps one alive
Then I should by my hope be kept afloat
Both in spirit and in looks.
And in love's journey, would it ever know me again?
Would it know me as if my pleasure is left
Behind in a kind of resigned misery which arises
From this situation where a heart is unsupported
By everything but its own tenderness?

We all owe love much and I will have patience.
For love's journey – it does round this Cape of Good Hope.
It will undoubtedly begin the long trek home again –
Sooner or later - the least I can do is to hope.
The demand – it is equal – for I owe it as much as love owes me.
I watch as its treasures float away making of it
Conjectures upon each part – all the while thinking that
The distance is but a little ways off and I know
That I could venture after it – I’m sure that I could –
Were I to only understand the reason for the distress.
But what if nature has chalked out another road?
Must we go on with so many a weary step?
Each in a separate heartless track till nature
Takes this journey’s course wherever it will?

Love asks me why – why do I say this?
Why do I write such a somber set of words?
And yet – it knows I follow it alongside its journey.
I beg of it to return while the heart of love
Tells me why I do this – as with everything that I do.
This journey does make a shadow of love and if I am
Good for anything I must remain true to the mortal part
Of its agreement – but that mortality does allow for me
To think and talk upon everything, does it not?
I rally my words, my powers and my alarms not to
Send ill winds to push love's sail farther away from me
But rather hoping that it will meld them all into one.
With the hope that within my power
With the most ardent of affections – they will triumph
Over all these feelings.
Standing aft on the vessel of love with its spyglass in hand
Look closely at me – I’m just off its bow.
I’m in its wake paddling trying so hard to
Keep what is left above the waters edge.

I wonder what infection it is that passes in this
affected crisis?
The contrary winds and currents leading this track
Could be the engine of nature working it together –
Or apart.
Tis true, it know it is – or should I just continue
To leave nature to her own destination?
But the language and the embodiment of love
Should not be left to mere chance.
If I swim harder toward it would love at least drop its sail?
Maybe I should speak no more - whatever the currents carry
May they carry the gentlest illusions through
The spyglass – and I suppose somehow they will.
If the remedy is but a cold philosophy then
I shall remain here undaunted by the distance – frantically treading water -
While love carries away with it the balm of my existence.
If so – somewhere round the Cape of Good Hope
Is where love can find me if it should ever choose to return.

I am here treading water as best I can in love's wake
As its vessel sails ever further and further away from me.
It is love who must decide my fate for I am doing all that I can.
I flail my arms side to side hoping against hope
That this Cape of Good Hope is not where love abandons me.
But I refuse to drown and I refuse to give it up
Just as ardently as love fails to turn around and see me.
Please don’t turn around unless you too understand
That our fates are indelibly tied together.
If this wretched thing does take full possession of love
Then it too has possession of me.
Like a baited hook I swim here watching and waiting
For the shark to come and swallow me up.
And all this time all love had to do was to – STOP.
It’s almost too late for that – the distance is so great.
I cannot swim that far.
I close my eyes and dream.
My tears flow into the ocean around me
So I know I’m still here.
Swimming for my life –
Somewhere just off the
Cape of Good Hope.