Despair and Delight

First came despair, slowly and steadily--
The falling dusk of mental agony
From helpless losses and from hope gone sour,
The weight of time compressed within an hour,
The bright shop windows mocking: "You alone
Pass through this pageant with a heart of stone."

Then came delight-- delight!-- so suddenly,
And I loved everything that I could see
For being what it was. The winter air
Was giddy as a child, and did not care
One whit for me. My soul filled with intense
Joy at the world's sublime indifference.