Page:The New Life (Rossetti 1899) Siddal ed.djvu/140

134

That I say, Soul of mine, why stayest thou?

Truly the anguish, Soul, that we must bow

Beneath, until we win out of this life,

Gives me full oft a fear that trembleth:

So that I call on Death

Even as on Sleep one calleth after strife,

Saying, Come unto me. Life showeth grim

And bare; and if one dies, I envy him.

For ever, among all my sighs which burn,

There is a piteous speech

That clamours upon death continually:

Yea, unto him doth my whole spirit turn

Since first his hand did reach

My lady's life with most foul cruelty.

But from the height of woman's fairness, she,

Going up from us with the joy we had,

Grew perfectly and spiritually fair;