"o pearl," i said, "in pearls bedight,

art thou my pearl for which i mourn,

lamenting all alone at night?

with hidden grief my heart is worn.

since thou through grass didst slip from sight,

pensive and pained, i pass forlorn,

and thou livest in a life of light,

a world where enters sin nor scorn.

what fate has hither my jewel borne,

and left me in earth's strife and stir?

oh, sweet, since we in twain were torn,

i have been a joyless jeweler."

that jewel then with gems besprent

glanced up at me with eyes of grey,

put on her pearl crown orient,

and soberly began to say:

"you tell your tale with wrong intent,

thinking your pearl gone quite away.

like a jewel within a coffer pent,

in this gracious garden bright and gay,

your pearl may ever dwell at play,

where sin nor mourning come to her;

it were a joy to thee alway

wert thou a gentle jeweler.

"but, jeweler, if thou dost lose

thy joy for a gem once dear to thee,

methinks thou dost thy mind abuse,

bewildered by a fantasy;

thou hast lost nothing save a rose

that flowered and failed by life's decree:

because the coffer did round it close,

a precious pearl it came to be.

a thief thou hast dubbed thy destiny

that something for nothing gives thee, sir;

thou blamest thy sorrow's remedy,

thou art no grateful jeweler."

like jewels did her story fall,

a jewel, every gentle clause;

"truly," i said, "thou best of all!

my great distress thy voice withdraws.

i thought my pearl lost past recall,

my jewel shut within earth's jaws;

but now i shall keep festival,

and dwell with it in bright wood-shaws;

and love my lord and all his laws,

who hath brought this bliss. ah! if i were

beyond these waves, i should have cause

to be a joyful jeweler."

"jeweler," said that gem so dear,

"why jest ye men, so mad ye be?

three sayings thou hast spoken clear,

and unconsidered were all three;

their meaning thou canst not come near,

thy word before thy thought doth flee.

first, thou believest me truly here,

because with eyes thou mayst me see;

second, with me in this country

thou wilt dwell, whatever may deter;

third, that to cross here thou art free:

that may no joyful jeweler."