Death & Dying
X
From Poems & Ballads (Second Series)
Not thee, O never thee, in all time's changes,
Not thee, but this the sound of thy sad soul,
The shadow of thy swift spirit, this shut scroll
I lay my hand on, and not death estranges
My spirit from communion of thy song--
These memories and these melodies that throng
Veiled porches of a Muse funereal--
These I salute, these touch, these clasp and fold
As though a hand were in my hand to hold,
Or through mine ears a mourning musical
Of many mourners rolled.
Cite this poem
MLA
Swinburne, Algernon Charles. “X.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/swinburne/426/.
Chicago
Swinburne, Algernon Charles. “X.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/swinburne/426/.
Read this poem with the Codex →