Eat thou and drink; to-morrow thou shalt die.

Surely the earth, that's wise being very old, Needs not our help. Then loose me, love, and hold

Thy sultry hair up from my face; that I May pour for thee this golden wine, brimhigh,

Till round the glass thy fingers glow like gold.

We'll drown all hours: thy song, while hours are toll'd,

Shall leap, as fountains veil the changing sky. Now kiss, and think that there are really those,

My own high-bosomed beauty, who increase

Vain gold, vain lore, and yet might choose our way!

I I

Think thou and act; to-morrow thou shalt die.

Outstretch'd in the sun's warmth upon the

II

Watch thou and fear; to-morrow thou shalt die.

Or art thou sure thou shalt have time for death?

Is not the day which God's word promiseth To come man knows not when? In yonder sky,

Now while we speak, the sun speeds forth: can I

Or thou assure him of his goal? God's breath

Even at this moment haply quickeneth The air to a flame; till spirits, always nigh Though screened and hid, shall walk the daylight here.

And dost thou prate of all that man shall do?

Canst thou, who hast but plagues, presume to be

I I

Glad in his gladness that comes after thee?

Will his strength slay thy worm in Hell?

Go to:

Cover thy countenance, and watch, and fear.

LOST DAYS

The lost days of my life until to-day,
What were they, could I see them on the

street

Lie as they fell? Would they be ears of wheat

Sown once for food but trodden into clay? Or golden coins squandered and still to-pay?

Or drops of blood dabbling the guilty feet? Or such spilt water as in dreams must cheat The undying throats of Hell, athirst alway? I do not see them here; but after death

God knows I know the faces I shall see, 10 Each one a murdered self, with low last breath. "I am thyself, what hast thou done to me?"

A SUPERSCRIPTION

Look in my face; my name is Might-havebeen;

I am also called No-more, Too-late, Farewell;

Unto thine ear I hold the dead-sea shell Cast up thy Life's foam-fretted feet between ; Unto thine eyes the glass where that is seen Which had Life's form and Love's, but by my spell

Is now a shaken shadow intolerable,

Of ultimate things unuttered the frail screen. Mark me, how still I am! But should there dart

One moment through thy soul the soft surprise

ΙΟ

Of that winged Peace which lulls the breath of sighs,

Then shalt thou see me smile, and turn apart Thy visage to mine ambush at thy heart, Sleepless with cold commemorative eyes.

THE ONE HOPE

When vain desire at last and vain regret

Go hand in hand to death, and all is vain, What shall assuage the unforgotten pain And teach the unforgetful to forget? Shall Peace be still a sunk stream long un

met,

Or may the soul at once in a green plain Stoop through the spray of some sweet lifefountain

But he, when all the place he had gone o'er, And with much trouble clomb the broken stair, And from the topmost turret seen the shore And his good ship drawn up at anchor there, Came down again, and found a crypt most fair Built wonderfully beneath the greatest hall, And there he saw a door within the wall, 98

Well-hinged, close shut; nor was there in that place

Another on its hinges, therefore he

Stood there and pondered for a little space, And thought, "Perchance some marvel I shall