In the cold change which time hath wrought on love(The snowy winter of his summer prime),Should a chance sigh or sudden tear-drop moveThy heart to memory of the olden time;Turn not to gaze on me with pitying eyes,Nor mock me with a withered hope renewed;But from the bower we both have loved, ariseAnd leave me to my barren solitude!What boots it that a momentary flameShoots from the ashes of a dying fire?We gaze upon the hearth from whence it came,And know the exhausted embers must expire:Therefore no pity, or my heart will break;Be cold, be careless--for thy past love's sake!

Summary

This quote is a plea for understanding and acceptance from someone who has experienced a change in their love. The speaker acknowledges that time has transformed their relationship, comparing it to the cold winter overtaking a once vibrant summer. They implore their love not to show pity or false hope, but instead to move on and leave them in their loneliness. The speaker recognizes that a transient spark may briefly arise, but it is futile to cling to it as the dying embers will eventually fade. They request indifference from their love as a means to protect their own fragile heart.

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