They are only the Dead who did not love,
Lipless and tongueless in the sour earth
Staring at others,poor unlovers.
They are the only living thing who did love,
So are we full with strength,
Ready to rise,easy to sleep.
Who has completeness that can cut
A comic hour to an end through want of woman
And the warmth she gives,
And yet be human,
Feel the same soft blood flow thoroughly,
Have food and drink,unlovingly?
None,and his deadly welcome
At the hour's end
Shall prove unworthy for his doing,
Which was good at word,
But came from out the mouth unknowing
Of such great goodness as is ours.
There is no dead but is not loved
Awhile,alittle,
Out of the fullness of another's heart
Having so much to spare.
That,then,is fortunate,
But,by your habit unreturned,
And by your habit unreturnable.
So is there missed a certain godliness
That's not without it's woe,
And not without divinity,
For it can quicken or it can kill.
Look,there's the dead who did not love,
And there's the living who did love,
Around our little selves
Touching our seperate love with badinage.
1 comment:
Thanks for posting. I live in Minnesota USA and love Thomas's poetry
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