Immortal Sails

By Alfred Noyes (1880–1958)

Now, in a breath, we’ll burst those gates of gold,

And ransack heaven before our moment fails.

Now, in a breath, before we, too, grow old,

We’ll mount and sing and spread immortal sails.

It is not time that makes eternity.

Love and an hour may quite out-span the years,

And give us more to hear and more to see

Than life can wash away with all its tears.

Dear, when we part, at last, that sunset sky

Shall not be touched with deeper hues than this;

But we shall ride the lightning ere we die

And seize our brief infinitude of bliss,

With time to spare for all that heaven can tell,

While eyes meet eyes, and look their last farewell.

From Collected Poems (1947)