73
That time of year thou mayst in me behold
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang. 4
In me thou see'st the twilight of such day
As after sunset fadeth in the west;
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death's second self, that seals up all in rest. 8
In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire,
That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
As the death-bed whereon it must expire,
Consum'd with that which it was nourish'd by. 12
This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong,
To love that well which thou must leave ere long.
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But be contented: when that fell arrest
Without all bail shall carry me away,
My life hath in this line some interest,
Which for memorial still with thee shall stay. 4
When thou reviewest this, thou dost review
The very part was consecrate to thee:
The earth can have but earth, which is his due;
My spirit is thine, the better part of me: 8
So then thou hast but lost the dregs of life,
The prey of worms, my body being dead;
The coward conquest of a wretch's knife,
Too base of thee to be remembered. 12
The worth of that is that which it contains,
And that is this, and this with thee remains.
12 Consum'd with that . . . nourish'd by; cf. n.
3 interest: claim, part
4 Which: this line which
5 reviewest: surveyest
6 was consecrate: that was consecrated
12 of thee: by thee
13 of that: of that body
is that: is that spirit
14 that is this: that spirit is this poetry
