I Wish I Could Remember

Era gia l'ora che volge il desio. -- DANTE

Ricorro al tempo ch'io vi vidi prima. -- PETRARCA

I wish I could remember that first day,

First hour, first moment of you meeting me,

If bright or dim the season, it might be

Summer or Winter for aught I can say;

So unrecorded did it slip away,

So blind was I to see and to foresee,

So dull to mark the budding of my tree

That would not blossom yet for many a May.

If only I could recollect it, such

A day of days! I let it come and go

As traceless as a thaw of bygone snow;

It seemed to mean so little, meant so much;

If only now I could recall that touch,

First touch of hand in hand -- Did one but know!

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