Yea, Love is strong as life; he casts out fear, And wrath, and hate, and all our envious foes; He stands upon the threshold, quick to close The gate of happiness ere should appear Death's dreaded presence -- ay, but Death draws near, And large and gray the towering outline grows, Whose face is veiled and hid; and yet Love knows Full well, too well, alas! that Death is here. Death tramples on the roses; Death comes in, Though Love, with outstretched arms and wings outspread, Would bar the way -- poor Love, whose wings begin To droop, half-torn as are the roses dead Already at his feet -- but Death must win, And Love grows faint beneath that ponderous tread! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SUPREME by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON FOR THE NEW YEAR by EDWIN MARKHAM TO WHISTLER, AMERICAN; ON LOAN EXHIBIT OF PAINTINGS AT TATE GALLERY by EZRA POUND AN ISLAND (SAINT HELENA, 1821) by EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON THE RAT by EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON MOTHER EARTH by GEORGE SANTAYANA GOOD-BYE DOROTHY GAYLE: ST. CLOUD, MINNESOTA by KAREN SWENSON |