Death And Birth

Death and birth should dwell not near together:

Wealth keeps house not, even for shame, with dearth:

Fate doth ill to link in one brief tether

Death and birth.

Harsh the yoke that binds them, strange the girth

Seems that girds them each with each: yet whether

Death be best, who knows, or life on earth?

Ill the rose-red and the sable feather

Blend in one crown's plume, as grief with mirth:

Ill met still are warm and wintry weather,

Death and birth.