The Ghost in  General   

I went back to the clanging city,
I went back where my old loves stayed,
But my heart was full of my new love's glory,
My eyes were laughing and unafraid.

I met one who had loved me madly
And told his love for all to hear --
But we talked of a thousand things together,
The past was buried too deep to fear.

I met the other, whose love was given
With never a kiss and scarcely a word --
Oh, it was then the terror took me
Of words unuttered that breathed and stirred.

Oh, love that lives its life with laughter
Or love that lives its life with tears
Can die -- but love that is never spoken
Goes like a ghost through the winding years. . . .

I went back to the clanging city,
I went back where my old loves stayed,
My heart was full of my new love's glory, --
But my eyes were suddenly afraid.

By Sara Teasdale

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Other poems by Sara Teasdale:

• A Cry
• A November Night
• After Love
• After Parting
• Alone
• At Midnight
• Barter
• Because
• Blue Squills
• Buried Love
• But Not To Me
• Come
• Debt
• Did You Never Know?
• Doubt
• Dust
• Enough
• Fault
• Gray Eyes
• Guenevere
• Houses Of Dreams
• I Am Not Yours
• I Have Loved Hours At Sea
• I Remembered
• I Thought Of You
• If Death Is Kind
• In The End
• It Is Not A Word
• It Will Not Change
• Jewels
• Let It Be Forgotten
• Like Barley Bending
• Longing
• Love And Death
• My Heart Is Heavy
• Oh You Are Coming
• On A March Day
• Sleepless
• Spring Rain
• The Fountain
• The Ghost
• The Mystery
• The Years
• Tides
• Tonight
• Understanding
• Water Lilies
• What Do I Care?