William Drummond of Hawthornden (1585–1649)

THE BEAUTY and the life

Of life’s and beauty’s fairest paragon,

O tears! O grief! hung at a feeble thread

To which pale Atropos had set her knife;

The soul with many a groan

Had left each outward part,

And now did take his last leave of the heart:

Nought else did want, save death, ev’n to be dead;

When the afflicted band about her bed,

Seeing so fair him come in lips, cheeks, eyes,

Cried, ‘Ah! and can Death enter Paradise?’