I hold deep in my soul, a sacred prize,
The words my fearful lips shall not set free;
I am the shadow where the pathway lies,
Who drinks thy radiant smile, yet none can see.
Thou walkest by my side, so light and fair,
Unknowing of the fire that burns within;
My heart beats silent rhythms in the air,
And veils the passion that it dares not win.
I love to watch thee live, to laugh, to be,
A guardian of thy joy and careless grace;
I’d rather hold my peace eternally,
Than lose the trust clear-written on thy face.
This silence is my heaven and my chain,
A temple where my love blooms in the night;
I ask for nothing, neither cure nor gain,
Save for the secret of this dark delight.
This verse explores the poignant beauty of unrequited or unspoken affection, reminiscent of the Victorian notion of courtly love. It suggests that there is a unique purity in a love that demands no reciprocation, finding its fulfillment not in possession, but in the quiet, sacrificial act of witnessing the beloved’s happiness from the periphery.
