Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms

Believe me, if all those endearing young charms
Which I gaze on so fondly to-day
Were to change by to-morrow, and fleet in my arms
Like fairy-gifts fading away
Thou wouldst still be ador’d, as this moment thou art
Let thy loveliness fade as it will
And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart
Would entwine itself verdantly still
It is not while beauty and youth are thine own
And thy cheeks unprofaned by a tear
That the fervour and faith of a soul can be known
To which time will but make thee more dear;
No, the heart that has truly lov’d never forgets
But as truly loves on to the close
As the sun-flower turns on her god, when he sets
The same look which she turn’d when he rose