Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume III. Sorrow and Consolation. 1904. | | | | V. Death and Bereavement | | What of the Darkness? | | Richard Le Gallienne (1866–1947) |
| | To the Happy Dead People
WHAT of the darkness? Is it very fair? | |
| Are there great calms? and find we silence there? | |
| Like soft-shut lilies, all your faces glow | |
| With some strange peace our faces never know, | |
| With some strange faith our faces never dare,— | 5 |
| Dwells it in Darkness? Do you find it there? | |
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| Is it a Bosom where tired heads may lie? | |
| Is it a Mouth to kiss our weeping dry? | |
| Is it a Hand to still the pulse’s leap? | |
| Is it a Voice that holds the runes of sleep? | 10 |
| Day shows us not such comfort anywhere— | |
| Dwells it in Darkness? Do ye find it there? | |
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| Out of the Day’s deceiving light we call— | |
| Day that shows man so great, and God so small, | |
| That hides the stars, and magnifies the grass— | 15 |
| O is the Darkness too a lying glass! | |
| Or undistracted, do you find truth there? | |
| What of the Darkness? Is it very fair? | | | | |
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