It was not Death, for I stood up,

It was not Death, for I stood up,
And all the Dead, lie down --
It was not Night, for all the Bells
Put Out their Tongues, for Noon.

It was not Frost, for on my Knees[^a1]Flesh
I felt Siroccos -- crawl --
Nor Fire -- for just two[^a2]my Marble feet
Could keep a Chancel, cool --

[^a1: Knees | Knees]

[^a2: two | two]

And yet, it tasted, like them all,
The Figures I have seen
Set orderly, for Burial,
Reminded me, of mine --

As if my life were shaven,
And fitted to a frame,
And could not breathe without a key,
And 'twas like Midnight, some --

When everything that ticked -- has stopped --
And Space stares all around --
Or Grisly frosts -- first Autumn morns,
Repeal the Beating Ground --

But, most, like Chaos -- Stopless -- cool --
Without a Chance, or Spar --
Or even a Report of Land --
To justify -- Despair.