| Louis Untermeyer, ed. (1885–1977). Modern British Poetry. 1920. |
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| Francis Thompson. 1859–1907 |
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| 27. To Olivia |
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| I FEAR to love thee, Sweet, because | |
| Love's the ambassador of loss; | |
| White flake of childhood, clinging so | |
| To my soiled raiment, thy shy snow | |
| At tenderest touch will shrink and go. | 5 |
| Love me not, delightful child. | |
| My heart, by many snares beguiled, | |
| Has grown timorous and wild. | |
| It would fear thee not at all, | |
| Wert thou not so harmless-small. | 10 |
| Because thy arrows, not yet dire, | |
| Are still unbarbed with destined fire, | |
| I fear thee more than hadst thou stood | |
| Full-panoplied in womanhood. | |
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