Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


THE FEAR OF DEATH by EDMUND WILLIAM GOSSE

First Line: LAST NIGHT I WOKE AND FOUND BETWEEN US DRAWN
Last Line: DEAR GOD! A LITTLE LONGER, AH NOT YET!
Subject(s): DEATH; DEAD, THE;

LAST night I woke and found between us drawn, --
Between us, where no mortal fear may creep, --
The vision of Death dividing us in sleep;
And suddenly I thought, Ere light shall dawn
Some day, -- the substance, not the shadow, of Death
Shall cleave us like a sword. The vision passed,
But all its new-born horror held me fast,
And till day broke I listened for your breath.
Some day to wake, and find that coloured skies,
And pipings in the woods, and petals wet,
Are things for aching memory to forget;
And that your living hands and mouth and eyes
Are part of all the world's old histories! --
Dear God! a little longer, ah not yet!



Home: PoetryExplorer.net