The Visit

Askest "How long thou shall stay?" Devastator of the day! Know, each substance and relation Thorough nature's operation, Hath its unit, bound, and metre, And every new compound Is some product and repeater, Product of the early found. But the unit of the visit, The encounter of the wise, Say what other metre is it Than the meeting of the eyes? Nature poureth into nature Through the channels of that feature. Riding on the ray of Sight, More fleet than waves or whirlwinds go, Or for service or delight, Hearts to hearts their meaning show, Sum their long experience, And import intelligence. Single look has drained the breast, Single moment years confessed. The duration of a glance Is the term of convenance, And, though thy rede be church or state, Frugal multiples of that. Speeding Saturn cannot halt; Linger,— thou shall rue the fault, If Love his moment overstay, Hatred's swift repulsions play.