Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, AT THE PORTAL, by ROSELLE MERCIER MONTGOMERY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

AT THE PORTAL, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: I saw death at the portal -- face to face
Last Line: There ... At the gate!
Subject(s): Death; Dead, The


I SAW Death at the Portal—face to face!
I know the look of him—
He is most kind. ...
One might, I think, go happily with him,
But for the dear things
One must leave behind!

Yes, I have found them dear, the gifts of Life—
And yet—so fair,
What Life withholds from me!
The thing that spells Perfection I have missed,
Although I reach
To grasp it—yearningly!

Childhood was golden—but it passed too soon!
A bubble bright
That burst in air was Youth;
Love was a joy—but it was twin to Pain;
And Fame—a rushlight,
Flickering ... in truth!

I could not ever quite lay hands on Truth,
I have not yet seen Beauty—
She is veiled.
Beyond the thing I do—there drifts a dream
That mocks achievement,
Tells me I have failed!

The perfect gift Life has kept back from me,
It has withheld from me
The ultimate—
But Death? Ah, Death, I dream, may be more kind
Now I have seen his face
There ... at the Gate!





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