Victor Hugo's Poem - More Strong Than Time SINCE I have set my lips to your full cup, my sweet, Since I my pallid face between your hands have laid, Since I have known your soul, and all the bloom of it, And all the perfume rare, now buried in the shade; Since it was given to me to hear on happy while, The words wherein your heart spoke all its mysteries, Since I have seen you weep, and since I have seen you smile, Your lips upon my lips, and your eyes upon my eyes; Since I have known above my forehead glance and gleam, A ray, a single ray, of your star, veiled always, Since I have felt the fall, upon my lifetime's stream, Of one rose petal plucked from the roses of your days; I now am bold to say to the swift changing hours, Pass, pass upon your way, for I grow never old, Fleet to the dark abysm with all your fading flowers, One rose that none may pluck, within my heart I hold. Your flying wings may smite, but they can never spill The cup fulfilled of love, from which my lips are wet; My heart has far more fire than you can frost to chill, My soul more love than you can make my soul forget. This intrigues me to make a probable reply or probably a woman's version, If this was ever addressed to me: MY love may ever be smitten, never perishing and unreciprocated, I hope you continue to say what you may say; Words can often mean themselves now. They can mean something else, in another lifetime Expect though that it is love - and think that this love may never prosper, I accept wholeheartedly to have loved you, Was never regretful For not to love you could mean a different self, Storms may have thundered my soul in full blare The trident may have pierced my flesh in not doing so, For you have understood me in the midst of every glance For you have comforted my heart with knowing that I could find my way to somebody else's arms - in time For you have always chuckled in every truthful time of peculiar moment in my felicitous being For you have mended my heart from perfect sorrow For you have sheltered me across all of experience I succumb to not having you Knowing that you never wanted to defy the painful soul I never blame you; and I thank you Because therefore, I have something to witness every morning - and for your dreams to be protected, By someone such as myself, is a never-ending splendor Because we have heightened inspiration for each other I fight for you as if I was war I struggle for you as if it were sacrifice I bleed for you as if it were a battlefield I yearn for the glory you choose I would justify every turning moment that I don't Just because.