Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, EUTHANASIA, by JOHN TODHUNTER


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

EUTHANASIA, by             Poem Explanation         Poet's Biography
First Line: Yes, this rich death was best
Subject(s): Euthanasia


Yes, this rich death were best:
Yes, this rich death were best:
Lay poison on thy lips, kiss me to sleep,
Lay poison on thy lips, kiss me to sleep,
Or on the siren billow of thy breast
Or on the siren billow of thy breast
Bring some voluptuous Lethe for life's pain,
Bring some voluptuous Lethe for life's pain,
Some languorous nepenthe that will creep
Some languorous nepenthe that will creep
Drowsily from vein to vein;
Drowsily from vein to vein;
That slowly, drowsily, will steep
That slowly, drowsily, will steep
Sense after sense, till , down long gulfs of rest
Sense after sense, till, down long gulfs of rest
Whirled like a leaf, I sink to the lone deep.
Whirled like a leaf, I sink to the lone deep.




It shall be afternoon.
It shall be afternoon,
And roses, roses breathing in the air!
And roses, roses breathing in the air!
Deliciously the splendour of deep June,
Deliciously the splendour of deep June,
Tempered through amber draperies, round us fall;
Tempered through amber draperies, round us fall;
And, like a dream of Titian, let thy hair
And, like a dream of Titian, let thy hair
Bosom and arms glow all,
Bosom and arms glow all.
Clouds of love's sunset, o'er me there:
Clouds of love's sunset, o'er me there:
Kiss that last kiss; then low some golden tune
Kiss that last kiss; then low some golden tune
Sing, for the dirge of our superb despair.
Sing, for the dirge of our superb despair




So let the clock tick on,
So let the clock tick on,
Measuring the soft pulsations of Time's wing,
Measuring the soft pulsations of Time's wing,
While to the pulseless ocean, like a swan
While to the pulseless ocean, like a swan
Abandoned to an unrelenting stream ,
Abandoned to an unrelenting stream,
Floating, I hear thee faint and fainter sing;
Floating, I hear thee faint and fainter sing;
Till death athwart my dream
Till death athwart my dream Shall glide, robed like a Magian king,
Shall glide, robed like a Magian king,
And ease with poppies of oblivion
And ease with poppies of oblivion
This heart, the scorpion Life no more may sting.
This heart, the scorpion. Life no more may sting.










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