Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, REQUIEM, by JOSEPH NOEL PATON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

REQUIEM, by                    
First Line: Wither'd pansies faint and sweet
Last Line: Where in his youth he lieth -- dead.


WITHER'D pansies faint and sweet,
O'er his breast in silence shed,
Faded lilies o'er his feet,
Waning roses round his head,
Where in dreamless sleep he lies --
Folded palms and sealed eyes --
Young Love, within my bosom -- dead.

Young Love that was so fond, so fair,
With his mouth of rosy red,
Argent wing and golden hair,
And those blue eyen, glory-fed
From some fount of splendor, far
Beyond or moon or sun or star --
And can it be that he is dead?

Ay! his breast is cold as snow:
Pulse and breath forever fled;
If I kiss'd him ever so,
To my kiss he were as lead;
If I clipp'd him as of yore
He would answer me no more
With lip or hand -- for he is dead.

But breathe no futile sigh; no tear
Smirch his pure and lonely bed.
Let no foolish cippus rear
Its weight above him. Only spread
Rose, lily, pale forget-me-not,
And pansies round the silent spot
Where in his youth he lieth -- dead.





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