Oh empty, eyes that cannot weep!
Oh preying, pain that will not sleep!
On haunted heart all scarred and sore,
And raging 'neath the grief it bore!
Oh heavy, head that still must think
Though poised upon the fatal brink!
Oh weeks, and months of misery!
Oh woe is me! Oh woe is me!

— —

And once the world was fleeting fair
Without a cross, without a care;
And thou, oh life! how glowing sweet
Thou mad'st the path before my feet:
And thou, white, Hope, thou too did'st rise,
And kissing visions on my eyes,
I saw again the sun-lit skies
With every growing sweet surprise

— —

You two, to me, were very dear
And I shall never, never fear
Your flying feet, nor fondly see
Your loving faces, happy, free,
Again go forward laughingly.
You lie all still and waxen white,
No more aware if it be night,
No more aware of swift alarms —
Asleep within the other's arms.
Therefore I beg with panting breath
Come thou to me, thou, white-faced, Death.

— —

Ah! Come and woo me for thine own
Thou wild, wierd, woman, silent, lone,
And fix me with thy wide, strange, eyes
Forever mystical and wise;
And kiss me with thy cold, white, lips
Till all my swooning being sips
Of ecstacy undreamed, unknown,
And crush me till thy arms have grown
Around me, let there slowly creep
A numbness everlasting, deep,
And let me sleep, ah! let me sleep