Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE SHADOW OF DEATH, by PAUL HAMILTON HAYNE Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: I pray you, when the shadow of death draws nigh Last Line: Cling round the spirit in her upward flight. Subject(s): Death; Dead, The | ||||||||
I PRAY you, when the shadow of death draws nigh, To bear me out beneath the unmeasured heaven; I fain would hear the pine-trees' slumberous sigh, And watch the cloud flotillas drifted high, By slow, soft breezes driven Due south, perchance toward realms of tropic balms, And the warm fragrance of the Syrian palms. I pray you, when the shadow of death comes down, Oh! lay me close to nature's pulses deep, Whether her breast with autumn tints be brown, Or bright with summer, or hale winter's crown Press on her brows in sleep; So nigh the dawn of some new, marvellous birth, I'd look to heaven, still clasped in arms of earth! I pray you, when the shadow of death draws near, Give, give me freedom for my last, faint breath; Beneath God's liberal heaven I could not fear, His merciful winds would dry my latest tear, His sunshine soften death, And some fair shreds of our dear earth's delight Cling round the spirit in her upward flight. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A FRIEND KILLED IN THE WAR by ANTHONY HECHT FOR JAMES MERRILL: AN ADIEU by ANTHONY HECHT TARANTULA: OR THE DANCE OF DEATH by ANTHONY HECHT CHAMPS D?ÇÖHONNEUR by ERNEST HEMINGWAY NOTE TO REALITY by TONY HOAGLAND A STORM IN THE DISTANCE (AMONG THE GEORGIAN HILLS) by PAUL HAMILTON HAYNE |
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