Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE LAST LOOK, by ELIZA COOK



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE LAST LOOK, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Long, long had he waned, from life, but now
Last Line: His last, that long, that dying look.
Subject(s): Death; Dead, The


Long, long had he waned, from life, but now
Strange faintness drained his breath;
An icy paleness stole to his brow --
The shadow of coming death.
He gazed around the little room
Where his happiest hours had been spent,
Conning the page of poet and sage,
Or holding merriment;
He felt he was dying, and calmly took
A sad, a long, last farewell look.

He threw a glance on all he prized --
A glance that was glazing and dim:
He marked the lute unstrung and mute,
To be woke no more by him:
He dwelt where the precious volumes lay --
Those treasures of pure delight,
That had charmed away the lonely day,
And solaced the sleepless night --
Cherished till they had formed a part
Of idols closest to his heart.

He raised his eye with a gentle sigh
To the picture-blazoned wall,
And his father's portrait met him there,
The dearest thing of all!
He fixed his gaze, and a tremour passed,
Betraying some sudden pain:
His dark lids fell; that look was the last!
He raised them not again:
He gasped, and murmured falteringly,
"'Tis o'er; now lead me forth to die!"

But the sand was out, his drooping head
Sunk heavily on his breast;
The chord had snapped, and his soul had fled
"Where the weary are at rest!"
Years have gone by, but memory still
E'er yields to his spirit's claim;
My cheek will whiten, my eye will fill,
To hear his whispered name;
For the moment passes when he took
His last, that long, that dying look.





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