Epitaph

(On a commonplace person who died in bed)

THIS is the end of him, here he lies:

The dust in his throat, the worm in his eyes,

The mould in his mouth, the turf on his breast;

This is the end of him, this is best.

He will never lie on his couch awake,

Wide-eyed, tearless, till dim daybreak.

Never again will he smile and smile

When his heart is breaking all the while.

He will never stretch out his hands in vain

Groping and groping—never again.

Never ask for bread, get a stone instead,

Never pretend that the stone is bread;

Nor sway and sway ’twixt the false and true,

Weighing and noting the long hours through.

Never ache and ache with the choked-up sighs;

This is the end of him, here he lies.