 | Later Lyrics |  |
36
THE JEWELLER'S SHOP IN WAR-TIME.
Past these counters wilt thou lead me,
Notes of luxury to read me
In the pearly shows and golden
That to outward boast embolden?
Watchful sit the shapes of sorrow.
Say: the Black Death comes to-morrow.
Notes of luxury to read me
In the pearly shows and golden
That to outward boast embolden?
Watchful sit the shapes of sorrow.
Say: the Black Death comes to-morrow.
Bride, the altar-gifts are waiting
The permission of thy mating;
Heart and purse make brief unclasping
From the daily miser-grasping.
Fill the cup! away with sorrow!
Will the Black Death come to-morrow?
The permission of thy mating;
Heart and purse make brief unclasping
From the daily miser-grasping.
Fill the cup! away with sorrow!
Will the Black Death come to-morrow?
Lo! he lies in bloody heather,
'Neath the burning summer weather:
Not a drop his dry lip wetteth;
Dryer yet his sad eye setteth.
Rend thy bridal robes for sorrow:
Doth the Black Death wait the morrow?
'Neath the burning summer weather:
Not a drop his dry lip wetteth;
Dryer yet his sad eye setteth.
37
Doth the Black Death wait the morrow?
See! the silver vessels goodly
Hands of hirelings stir not rudely;
Gems that deck the board's white wearing,
In a house of noble bearing;
Legendary urns of sorrow:
Death attends the feast to-morrow!
Hands of hirelings stir not rudely;
Gems that deck the board's white wearing,
In a house of noble bearing;
Legendary urns of sorrow:
Death attends the feast to-morrow!
See! the rings of wild desire,—
Dreamy opal; diamond fire;
Emerald, green as summer grasses
Lit of sun that never passes;
Jets, the dim delights of sorrow,
That the Black Death buys, the morrow.
Dreamy opal; diamond fire;
Emerald, green as summer grasses
Lit of sun that never passes;
Jets, the dim delights of sorrow,
That the Black Death buys, the morrow.
Chalice see and salver ghostly
That affright the gazer mostly;
Stirrup-cup that awes and blesses,
Cordial drop of last distresses;
Pearl of hope dissolved in sorrow,
Dear where Death is due the morrow.
That affright the gazer mostly;
Stirrup-cup that awes and blesses,
Cordial drop of last distresses;
Pearl of hope dissolved in sorrow,
Dear where Death is due the morrow.
38
Take me rather when the hours
Write their journal fair in flowers;
Where our sweet joys die and darken
With the firmament to hearken.
Soft in silence sinks our sorrow;
Resurrection comes to-morrow.
Write their journal fair in flowers;
Where our sweet joys die and darken
With the firmament to hearken.
Soft in silence sinks our sorrow;
Resurrection comes to-morrow.
Life ye tear to shred and flitter,
Joying in the costly glitter
To rehearse each art-abortion
That consumes a widow's portion.
Lavish feast makes secret sorrow;
Pinch at heart brings Death to-morrow!
Joying in the costly glitter
To rehearse each art-abortion
That consumes a widow's portion.
Lavish feast makes secret sorrow;
Pinch at heart brings Death to-morrow!
Take me where sweet doctrine, hoarded,
Stays the ravage, ill-afforded;
Wisdom's store, divinely pleasured,
Hero heart-beat, poet-measured.
Song that lightens out of sorrow
Shields from every Death to-morrow.
Stays the ravage, ill-afforded;
Wisdom's store, divinely pleasured,
Hero heart-beat, poet-measured.
Song that lightens out of sorrow
Shields from every Death to-morrow.
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