To Kuei Hua, My Own Cassia Flower
Fain were I to see thine adorable name at the inception of these pages; for thou art of them "the only begetter" and they owe to thee the pythian inspiration, written as they are from first to last in deathless love of thee; though much is alien from thy precious environment and from our blessed association sundered alas! too soon; yet is nothing herein separable from my sempiternal devotion toward thy darling self; thou who art the climax and the crown of my waking and dreaming imaginings, thou that even today, when the light of the windows is darkened and the clouds return after the rain, still stirrest immortal longings in me; scarce other than in days of our vanity, two score and three years ago. "Gilding old age with the afterglow of youth."
Stands the dark gate of Death; then a light; then thy face!
O! heart of my heart! to enclose thee again! –
By Buddha's dear grace!
30.VI.43