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.

In this poignant reflection by Francis Thompson, love is portrayed as a herald of potential heartache. The poem opens with Thompson confessing his hesitance to embrace love, as it often precedes loss. By describing childhood affection as a "white flake," the poet captures its purity and fragility. This tenderness, though alluring, is also fleeting, much like snow that disappears upon warm contact. The imagery of "shy snow" emphasizes the delicate nature of the child's love—a love that appeals to Thompson, yet simultaneously evokes fear of inevitable sorrow. His reference to "soiled raiment" suggests a life marred by hardships, underscoring the contrast between the innocence of youthful affection and the poet’s tarnished past. Ultimately, this metaphor encapsulates Thompson's inner conflict between the yearning for love and the dread of its impermanence.