Clouds Without Water

VILt Ah! if flesh fails, may we not also fail? May not the vulture liars gather round Our death-beds, and drone out their dismal tale With drawl and whine, the Galilean sound Of snuffle and twang ? May not their stinking souls Interpret our last sighs as penitence When we close up the coruscating scrolls Of our life's joy, seal up the jar of sense To broach the starry flagon — splendid spilth? These creeping cravens shall be circumvented; They shall not belch their flatulence and filth On us, or tell the world that we repented. Come, as we strained it, let us break the tether ~Tn the last luxury — to die together ! IX Let Death steal softly through the gate of sleep On tiptoe ! win away the maiden life On velvet pinions to his azure steep; At ease, at peace, to woo her for a wife! His white horse waiting quietly without Let him push gently the delicious door And take us. We have lived. How should we doubt Or fear? we have lived well. For ever more We must be well. The cypress cannot daunt, Nor the acacia’thrill; we are content To wander in the shadowy groves, to haunt The dark delight of our own element ; Or — could we send a messenger — to tell Our brothers of the happiness of Hell! — 125 — 5