dots-menu
×

Home  »  A Library of American Literature  »  A Dream of Death

Stedman and Hutchinson, comps. A Library of American Literature:
An Anthology in Eleven Volumes. 1891.
Vols. IX–XI: Literature of the Republic, Part IV., 1861–1889

A Dream of Death

By Lucy White Jennison (Owen Innsly) (b. 1850)

[From Love Poems and Sonnets. By Owen Innsly. 1882.]

HELENA.

  • DU hast mich beschworen aus dem Grab
  • Durch deinen Zauberwlllen,
  • Belebtest mich mit Wollustgluth,
  • Jetzt kannst du die Gluth nicht stillen.
  • Press deinen Mund auf meinen Mund,
  • Der Menschen Odem ist göttlich,
  • Ich trinke deine Seele aus,
  • Die Todten sind unersättlich.
  • Heine.

  • I DIED; they wrapped me in a shroud,

    With hollow mourning, far too loud,

    And sighs that were but empty sound,

    And laid me low within the ground.

    I felt her tears through all the rest;

    Past sheet and shroud they reached my breast;

    They warmed to life the frozen clay,

    And I began to smile and say:

    At last thou lov’st me, Helena!

    I rose up in the dead of night;

    I sought her window;—’twas alight.

    A pebble clattered ’gainst the pane,—

    “Who ’s there? the wind and falling rain?”

    “Ah! no; but one thy tears have led

    To leave his chill and narrow bed

    To warm himself before thy breath;

    Who for thy sake has conquered death.

    Arise, and love me, Helena!”

    She oped the door, she drew me in.

    Her mouth was pale, her cheek was thin;

    Her eyes were dim; its length unrolled,

    Fell loosely down her hair of gold.

    My presence wrought her grief’s eclipse;

    She pressed her lips upon my lips,

    She held me fast in her embrace,

    Her hands went wandering o’er my face:

    At last thou lov’dst me, Helena!

    The days are dark, the days are cold,

    And heavy lies the churchyard mould.

    But ever, at the deep of night,

    Their faith the dead and living plight.

    Who would not die if certain bliss

    Could be foreknown? and such as this

    No life—away! the hour is nigh,

    With heart on fire she waits my cry:

    Arise, and love me, Helena!