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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
DEATH THE LEVELLER, by MENANDER Poet's Biography
First Line: If you with your true self would be acquainted
Last Line: Look to the graves -- and make your own acquaintance.
Variant Title(s): Here Are Sands, Ignoble Things
Subject(s): Death; Dead, The
First Line: If you with your true self would be acquainted
Last Line: Look to the graves -- and make your own acquaintance.
Variant Title(s): Here Are Sands, Ignoble Things
Subject(s): Death; Dead, The
IF you with your true self would be acquainted,
look at the grave-stones as you travel past.
Bones lie beneath and the light-drifting dust
of kings and despots, of the skilled and wise,
of men who gloried in their birth or riches
or reputation won or beauty of body --
then all was gone before the assault of Time.
One place of death men share, and share alike.
Look to the graves -- and make your own acquaintance.
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TARANTULA: OR THE DANCE OF DEATH by ANTHONY HECHT
CHAMPS D?ÇÖHONNEUR by ERNEST HEMINGWAY
NOTE TO REALITY by TONY HOAGLAND