Lord and father of life, Of death and of bitter weeping, One or many, pitiful or cruel, Hear me, my prayer beating Like rain importunately, without intermission, For life, for a little life. Lord, you know not her or love If you let death take me, I will speak outright: No God, no nation, no cause, No life of any man, no person, Nothing created or living, Do I love as I love her. I do not ask you for her- No god can take her from me, Take her kisses and lithe body. I ask life, a few years To pour out for her, Until she tires of me Or age loosens her sinews And I be no more delightful to her. Her body is honey and wheat, The taste of her mouth delicate; Her eyes overcome me with desire, Her lips are a woman's. Under her feet I spread my days As soft silk for her walking. She touches me with her hands And I am faint with beauty. The embraces of her body are wonderful, They are more to me than wisdom or honours. Therefore I am not willing to die Since she needs me. For her sake I would betray my comrades, I would rend the vesture of the most high! Yet if you are so avid of blood That even she cannot move you, Poor God without a lover, Slay us together, mouth to mouth and happy, And we will thank not curse you. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE HIPPOPOTAMUS by THOMAS STEARNS ELIOT SEASHORE (1) by RALPH WALDO EMERSON TO GERMANY by CHARLES HAMILTON SORLEY SUNDAY MORNING by WALLACE STEVENS TO JUDAH HA-LEVI by M. L. R. BRESLAR ENGLAND by GRACE ELLERY CHANNING-STETSON TO THE HECTORS, UPON THE UNFORTUNATE DEATH UPON THE DEATH H. COMPTON by JOHN CLEVELAND |