MY WIFE DIES 
 
“ Marriage and death and division 
Make barren our lives.”—SWINBURNE. 
 
THE sun of love shone through my love’s deep eyes 
And made a rainbow of her tender tears, 
And on her cheeks I saw a blush arise 
When her lips opened to say, loverwise, 
“ I love ”—and light broke through the cloud of fears 
That hid her eyes. 
 
The storm of passion woke in her red lips 
When first they clung to mine and rested there ; 
Lightnings of love were eager to eclipse 
That earlier sunshine, and her whole soul clips 
My soul—I kissed out life, within her hair 
Upon her lips. 
 
We parted lips from lips and soul from soul 
To new strange passions in unholy lands, 
Where love’s breath chars and scorches like a coal. 
So she is dead to-day—the sweet bells toll 
A lost, lost soul, a soul in Satan’s bands, 
A lost, lost soul ! 
 
 
 
 
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