Death & Dying

On Death

by John Clare 1793–1864

From The Village Minstrel, and Other Poems (1821)

Death & Dying

O Life, thy name to me's a galling sound,
A sound I fain would wish to breathe no more;
One only peace for me my hopes have found,
When thy existence and wild race is o'er;
When Death, with one, heals every other wound,
And lays my aching head in the cold ground.
O happy hour! I only wish to have
Another moment's gasp, and then the grave.
I only wish for one departing sigh,
A welcome farewel take of all, and die.
Thou'st given me little, world, for thanks' return,
Thou temptst me little with thee still to bide:
One only cause in leaving thee I mourn,—
That I had e'er been born, nor in the cradle died.

MLA

Clare, John. “On Death.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/clare/216/.

Chicago

Clare, John. “On Death.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/clare/216/.

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