Classic Poem

Goodbye, sweet earth, goodbye!
I would that I might see
The sun rise once again
Within the dim, grey, east
I would that I might die
With his white beams upon
My face, and in my heart, —
But no — 'twere better so,
That I should meet Grey Death
Amidst the shades of night,
For I have never walked
Within the Sun's fair land,
But down the vale of Tears

— —

Come! Close around me Shades!
That I may give my soul
Into your willing hands —
Ah! Come not quite so fast
I would your faces see
Gaze in your eyes and find
If you be friend or foe —
Why gaze at me grim guests
With eyes so sinister? —
What have I done to you? —
I fear that you are fiends,
That come to mock at me,
And make my end as black
As all my wretched life: —
I know that you are fiends
For I can feel your eyes,
Can feel your groping hands
Upon my dying breast! —
You shall not have my soul!
While there remains one breath
Within this feeble frame
I swear I will defend
It from your greedy grasp!
Stand back! Stand back! I say!
Aha! You cringe and shrink
You are but craven curs
For one, weak, frenzied, man
Can keep you there at bay!
You'd mock at me would you?
And laugh, and jeer, and grin
Because you think me weak?
But see how firm this arm,
How blazing bright this eye! —
Aha! I shall behold
The sun arise again,
Shall see his glowing feet
Upon the mountain-tops, —
Dear Life thou'rt sweet indeed
I will not give thee up,
Nor will I yield my soul: —
Stay! — Stay where you are
This weakness soon will pass
I beg you come not near!
See! Though I am so proud
I'll fall upon my knees,
And beg, and pray, of you
To spare this little soul!
Ah see! How white and pure
And beautiful it is!
And I have kept it so
Throughout my shadowed life:
I've hugged it close and firm
Within my hungry breast,
I've given it my love
(And it were truly much)
I've safely sheltered it
From every breath of sin,
And luring, tempting, winds,
It's been my only joy
And when I've suffered most
I've taken it from out
My troubled, fearsome, breast,
And its white purity
Has lightened all my pain:
Ah! Let me keep my soul!
Why grows the room so dark
I cannot hear or see
Your faces are not there!
But I can feel your hands
Of chilling, numbing, ice
Creep down my shaking frame —
I fear that this is Death! —
I will not, will not die!
I want to see the sun,
I want my tortured Life,
Although I hated it
I love it, love it now!
Remove your icy hands!
They numb my failing, brain,
They strangle at its birth,
Each, feeble, labored, breath —
Give me but time to think! —
Ah God! I fear 'tis o'er: —
It is: I die! I die!