Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, BURNS ON HIS DEATH-BED, by WILLIAM MCDOWALL


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

BURNS ON HIS DEATH-BED, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Soon will life's weary whirl be done
Last Line: Twill scatter far the clouds frae me.
Subject(s): Death; Dead, The


SOON will life's weary whirl be done,
And I shall reach the peaceful grave;
Soon shall my latest sands be run,
And passion's tempest cease to rave.
The goal of death and darkness won --
This chequer'd scene no more to see;
Yet, let me view again the sun --
It winna shine sae lang for me.

Unbind the veil that hides his face,
And draw yon envious screen aside,
Then shall his gladsome radiance chase
The mists which o'er my couch preside.
Ere yet the ebon gates are barr'd
Upon my hours of grief and glee,
Sweet sun, my earnest cry regard;
Ye winna shine sae lang for me.

Break forth as thou wert wont to shine,
When in thy glorious light I trod,
To trace the links of love divine,
From nature up to nature's God.
Meet emblem of that mighty One,
Thy face reveal, and seem to be
A token of His mercy shown;
For nane can need it mair than me.

No more I see thee paint the plain,
Or pierce the leaf-embattl'd shade,
Or mirror'd in the trembling main,
Or glist'ning in each dewy blade.
But thou canst make the clay-built cot
Seem blythesome as yon lily lea;
Not all forlorn the poet's lot,
Since thou dost shine aince mair on me.

Thou stay of life, and source of light!
How doubly dear thy presence now,
When shadows, as of endless night,
Are gathering o'er my throbbing brow!
Prized wer't thou in my songful prime --
And precious must thou ever be;
Though swiftly comes a mirk, mirk time,
When thou shalt shine nae mair for me.

The sunless grave! no straggling ray
Of thine can reach its dread recess;
Nor would the soul-deserted clay
Be conscious of its warm caress.
Yet grieve I not, by care opprest,
To meet the doom I soon maun dree;
Since, though it shade thy beams sae blest,
'Twill scatter far the clouds frae me.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net