Whispers of Heavenly Death（二）

    Whispers of heavenly death murmur'd I hear，

    Labial¹ gossip of night， sibilant chorals，

    Footsteps gently ascending²， mystical breezes wafted³ soft and

    low，

    Ripples⁴ of unseen rivers， tides of a current flowing， forever

    flowing，

    （Or is it the plashing of tears？ the measureless waters of

    human tears？）

    I see， just see skyward， great cloud-masses，

    Mournfully slowly they roll， silently swelling⁵ and mixing，

    With at times a half-dimm'd sadden'd far-off star，

    Appearing and disappearing.

    （Some parturition⁶ rather， some solemn immortal⁷ birth；

    On the frontiers to eyes impenetrable，

    Some soul is passing over.）