Stole his friend's wife, stagnated slow, Or maundered, unable to do as much, And muttered of peace where he had no part : 8. On the whole, you were let alone, I think! Loved and doved you you - - did not I laugh! There was a prize! But we both were tried. Oh, heart of mine, marked broad with her mark, Tekel, found wanting, set aside, Scorned! See, I bleed these tears in the dark Till comfort come and the last be bled: He? He is tagging your epitaph. 9. If it would only come over again! Time to be patient with me, and probe This heart till you punctured the proper vein, Just to learn what blood is: twitch the robe From that blank lay-figure your fancy draped, Prick the leathern heart till the verses spirt! And late it was easy; late, you walked Where a friend might meet you; Edith's name Arose to one's lip if one laughed or talked; If I heard good news, you heard the same; When I woke, I knew that your breath escaped; I could bide my time, keep alive, alert. 10. And alive I shall keep and long, you will see! So long as he picked from the filth his prog? And jollily lived to his hundredth year. But I will live otherwise: none of such life! At once I begin as I mean to end. Go on with the world, get gold in its strife, Give your spouse the slip, and betray your friend! There are two who decline, a woman and I, And enjoy our death in the darkness here. 11. I liked that way you had with your curls Wound to a ball in a net behind: Your cheek was chaste as a quaker-girl's, And your mouth—there was never, to my mind, Such a funny mouth, for it would not shut; And the dented chin, too- what a chin ! There were certain ways when you spoke, some words That you know you never could pronounce : You were thin, however; like a bird's The world was right when it called you thin. 12. But I turn my back on the world: I take Thirst at your presence! Fear no slips! Crossed without warrant. There you stand, Ere I drank it, and you down with it, thus! |