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The Barter |
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Life has loveliness to sell, |
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All beautiful and splendid things, |
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Blue waves whitened on a cliff, |
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Soaring fire that sways and sings, |
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And children's faces looking up |
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Holding wonder like a cup. |
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Life has loveliness to sell, |
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Music like a curve of gold, |
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Scent of pine trees in the rain, |
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Eyes that love you, arms that hold, |
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And for your spirit's still delight, |
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Holy thoughts that star the night. |
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Spend all you have for loveliness, |
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Buy it and never count the cost; |
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For one white singing hour of peace |
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Count many a year of strife well lost, |
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And for a breath of ecstasy |
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Give all you have been, or could be. |
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Excerpted from: Sara Teasdale, Collected Poems, 1917. |
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Reproduced with permission of Wellesley College. |
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