Famine Song

Death and Famine on every side

And never a sign of rain,

The bones of those who have starved and died

Unburied upon the plain.

What care have I that the bones bleach white?

To-morrow they may be mine,

But I shall sleep in your arms to-night

And drink your lips like wine!

Cholera, Riot, and Sudden Death,

And the brave red blood set free,

The glazing eye and the failing breath,–

But what are these things to me?

Your breath is quick and your eyes are bright

And your blood is red like wine,

And I shall sleep in your arms to-night

And hold your lips with mine!

I hear the sound of a thousand tears,

Like softly pattering rain,

I see the fever, folly, and fears

Fulfilling man’s tale of pain.

But for the moment your star is bright,

I revel beneath its shine,

For I shall sleep in your arms to-night

And feel your lips on mine!

And you need not deem me over cold,

That I do not stop to think

For all the pleasure this Life may hold

Is on the Precipice brink.

Thought could but lessen my soul’s delight,

And to-day she may not pine.

For I shall lie in your arms to-night

And close your lips with mine!

I trust what sorrow the Fates may send

I may carry quietly through,

And pray for grace when I reach the end,

To die as a man should do.

To-day, at least, must be clear and bright,

Without a sorrowful sign,

Because I sleep in your arms to-night

And feel your lips on mine!

So on I work, in the blazing sun,

To bury what dead we may,

But glad, oh, glad, when the day is done

And the night falls round us grey.

Would those we covered away from sight

Had a rest as sweet as mine!

For I shall sleep in your arms to-night

And drink your lips like wine!

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Poems in English 

• In The New Sun by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• In A Vacant House by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• In A Light Time by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• I Won, You Lost by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• I Sing The Body Electric by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• How Much Earth by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• House Of Silence by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• Holy Day by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• Holding On by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• Heaven by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• Green Thumb by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• Gin by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• Gangrene by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• For The Country by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• Fist by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• Father by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• Everything by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• Coming Close by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• Clouds Above The Sea by Philip Levine by Philip Levine
• Clouds by Philip Levine by Philip Levine

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Ecosia – a search engine that supposedly… plants trees

Duckduckgo – the real alternative and a search engine that actually works. Without much censorship or partisan politics.

Yahoo– yes, it’s still around, amazingly, miraculously, incredibly, but now it seems to be powered by Bing.

 

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