Stones from The Quarry or, Moods of Mind. By Henry Browne [i.e. Henry Ellison] |
THE FASHIONABLE WORLD. |
Stones from The Quarry | ||
THE FASHIONABLE WORLD.
Is this, then, Life? or doth it take in vainThe name of Life—mere blank, rank blasphemy!
Mere Death in Life! Ay, Death, if passing by,
Might ask: “Are these alive, or do they feign?”
What boots to slay the already-dead again!
Lay-figures, puppets of Humanity,
That trip, strut, dress, lie, gossip, paint and dye;
Killing that Time which makes your pleasure pain!
Wretched Ephemera, in the morning-sun
Of pleasure glancing, heedless of her stings
Of scorpions, when this her brief day is run.
Moths, at that fire ye'll singe your angel-wings!
Poor flies! buzz, shine in tinsel, Life begun;
Ye stink and fly-blow long ere it be done!
Stones from The Quarry | ||