Hallowed the eyes of men,
It hardly seems that Nature
Can make such a face again;
She walked like the early morning
5
Was there ever a lovelier lady?"
And the three of us sighed "It is true."
And we talked of her sorrowful going,
9
And the blank she had left behind,
And the ways of the wind past knowing,
And the lost that we never find.
Then lo!, as we spoke to each other
13
There passed by the open door,
A girl none had seen before;
And we sprang from our lonely talking,
17
And gazed with regretful eyes
On the marvellous way of her walking—
Sad men that can never be wise!—
While she passed in her insolent glory,
21
With never a look behind!
And again we sat down to our story
Of the fairness of womankind.
Then one of us said: "I am thinking
25
That when twenty years have gone by,
Some men will be sitting drinking,
And dreaming as you and I
Of that girl and her wonderful walking
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That went but now by the door—
And the burden of all their talking:
'There are faces like that no more.'"