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(Died Dec. 5, 1791) A REQUIEM!and for whom? | |
For beauty in its bloom? | |
For valor fallena broken rose or sword? | |
A dirge for king or chief, | |
With pomp of stately grief, | 5 |
Banner, and torch, and waving plume deplored? | |
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Not so, it is not so! | |
That warning voice I know, | |
From other worlds a strange mysterious tone; | |
A solemn funeral air | 10 |
It calld me to prepare, | |
And my heart answerd secretlymy own! | |
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One more then, one more strain, | |
In links of joy and pain | |
Mighty the troubled spirit to enthral! | 15 |
And let me breathe my dower | |
Of passion and of power | |
Full into that deep laythe last of all! | |
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The last!and I must go | |
From this bright world below, | 20 |
This realm of sunshine, ringing with sweet sound! | |
Must leave its festal skies, | |
With all their melodies, | |
That ever in my breast glad echoes found! | |
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Yet have I known it long; | 25 |
Too restless and too strong | |
Within this clay hath been the oermastering flame; | |
Swift thoughts, that came and went, | |
Like torrents oer me sent, | |
Have shaken, as a reed, my thrilling frame. | 30 |
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Like perfumes on the wind, | |
Which none may stay or bind, | |
The beautiful comes floating through my soul; | |
I strive with yearnings vain, | |
The spirit to detain | 35 |
Of the deep harmonies that past me roll! | |
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Therefore disturbing dreams | |
Trouble the secret streams | |
And founts of music that oerflow my breast; | |
Something far more divine | 40 |
Than may on earth be mine, | |
Haunts my worn heart, and will not let me rest. | |
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Shall I then fear the tone | |
That breathes from worlds unknown? | |
Surely these feverish aspirations there | 45 |
Shall grasp their full desire, | |
And this unsettled fire, | |
Burn calmly, brightly, in immortal air. | |
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Once more then, one more strain, | |
To earthly joy and pain | 50 |
A rich, and deep, and passionate farewell! | |
I pour each fervent thought | |
With fear, hope, trembling fraught, | |
Into the notes that oer my dust shall swell. | |
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