By the weed-strewn, brown, desolate reaches,
Lonely, and half broken-hearted,
We met, and we parted,
By the weed-strewn, brown, desolate reaches. A moan from the dolorous ocean
Crept round about and above her--
To the ear of each lover
Crept a moan from the dolorous ocean. The dun cormorant rustled above us;
Her dissonant cry boded evil;
Like goblin or devil,
The dun cormorant rustled above us. One wild clinging kiss, and we parted,
No light fringed the skirts of our morrow;
In silence, in sorrow,
One wild clinging kiss, and we parted. We turned, face to face, stepping backward,
The distance between us grew wider;
Ere distance could hide her,
We turned, face to face, stepping backward. The mists weird and white came between us,
As a screen, parting one from the other;
Parting lover from lover,
The mists weird and white came between us. Yet I know my old love is still looking
'Thwart the gloom of the years as they follow,
With eyes sad and hollow;
I know my old love is still looking.