Aloof

 THE irresponsive silence of the land, 
 The irresponsive sounding of the sea, 
 Speak both one message of one sense to me:-- 
Aloof, aloof, we stand aloof, so stand 
Thou too aloof, bound with the flawless band 
 Of inner solitude; we bind not thee; 
 But who from thy self-chain shall set thee free? 
What heart shall touch thy heart? What hand thy hand? 
And I am sometimes proud and sometimes meek, 
 And sometimes I remember days of old 
When fellowship seem'd not so far to seek, 
 And all the world and I seem'd much less cold, 
 And at the rainbow's foot lay surely gold, 
And hope felt strong, and life itself not weak.

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