| Louis Untermeyer, ed. (1885–1977). Modern British Poetry. 1920. |
| |
| Amy Levy. 1861–1889 |
| |
35. Epitaph
(On a commonplace person who died in bed) |
| |
| THIS is the end of him, here he lies: | |
| The dust in his throat, the worm in his eyes, | |
| The mould in his mouth, the turf on his breast; | |
| This is the end of him, this is best. | |
| He will never lie on his couch awake, | 5 |
| Wide-eyed, tearless, till dim daybreak. | |
| Never again will he smile and smile | |
| When his heart is breaking all the while. | |
| He will never stretch out his hands in vain | |
| Groping and groping—never again. | 10 |
| Never ask for bread, get a stone instead, | |
| Never pretend that the stone is bread; | |
| Nor sway and sway 'twixt the false and true, | |
| Weighing and noting the long hours through. | |
| Never ache and ache with the choked-up sighs; | 15 |
| This is the end of him, here he lies. | |
|
|
