O MORS! QUAM AMARA EST MEMORIA TUA HOMINI PACEM HABENTI IN SUBSTANTIIS SUIS

Exceeding sorrow

Consumeth my sad heart!

Because to-morrow

We must depart,

Now is exceeding sorrow

All my part!

Give over playing,

Cast thy viol away:

Merely laying

Thine head my way:

Prithee, give over playing,

Grave or gay.

Be no word spoken;

Weep nothing: let a pale

Silence, unbroken

Silence prevail!

Prithee, be no word spoken,

Lest I fail!

Forget to-morrow!

Weep nothing: only lay

In silent sorrow

Thine head my way:

Let us forget to-morrow,

This one day!

You would have understood me, had you waited;

I could have loved you, dear! as well as he:

Had we not been impatient, dear! and fated

Always to disagree.

What is the use of speech? Silence were fitter:

Lest we should still be wishing things unsaid.

Though all the words we ever spake were bitter,

Shall I reproach you dead?

Nay, let this earth, your portion, likewise cover

All the old anger, setting us apart:

Always, in all, in truth was I your lover;

Always, I held your heart.

I have met other women who were tender,

As you were cold, dear! with a grace as rare.

Think you, I turned to them, or made surrender,

I who had found you fair?

Had we been patient, dear! ah, had you waited,

I had fought death for you, better than he:

But from the very first, dear! we were fated

Always to disagree.

Late, late, I come to you, now death discloses

Love that in life was not to be our part:

On your low lying mound between the roses,

Sadly I cast my heart.

I would not waken you: nay! this is fitter;

Death and the darkness give you unto me;

Here we who loved so, were so cold and bitter,

Hardly can disagree.