Almighty Death

Softly, quite softly— For I hear, above the murmur of the sea, Faint and far-fallen footsteps, as of One Who comes from out beyond the endless ends of Time, With voice that downward looms thro' singing stars; Its subtle sound I see thro' these long-darkened eyes, I hear the Light He bringeth on His hands— Almighty Death! Softly, oh, softly, lest He pass me by, And that unquivering Light toward which my longing soul And tortured body through these years have writhed, Fade to the dun darkness of my days. Softly, full softly, let me rise and greet The strong, low luting of that long-awaited call; Swiftly be all my good and going gone, And this vast veiled and vanquished vigor of my soul Seek somehow otherwhere its rest and goal, Where endless spaces stretch, Where endless time doth moan, Where endless light doth pour Thro' the black kingdoms of eternal death. Then haply I may see what things I have not seen, Then I may know what things I have not known; Then may I do my dreams. Farewell! No sound of idle mourning let there be To shudder this full silence—save the voice Of children—little children, white and black, Whispering the deeds I tried to do for them; While I at last unguided and alone Pass softly, full softly.

Softly, very softly, For above the murmur of the sea, I hear Faint, distant footsteps, as if someone Were coming from beyond the endless reaches of time, His voice sounding down through the singing stars. Through these long-darkened eyes, I see its subtle sound. I hear the light he brings in his hands, Almighty Death! Softly, oh, softly, lest he pass me by, And the steady light my longing soul And tortured body have struggled toward for years Fades into the dull darkness of my days. Softly, very softly, let me rise and greet The strong, low music of that long-awaited call. Let all my possessions and my passing swiftly be gone, And let the vast, hidden, defeated strength of my soul Somehow seek its rest and goal elsewhere, Where endless spaces stretch, Where endless time moans, Where endless light pours Through the black kingdoms of eternal death. Then perhaps I may see what I have not seen. Then I may know what I have not known. Then I may do what I have dreamed of doing. Farewell! Let no idle mourning Disturb this deep silence. Let there be only the voices Of children, little children, white and black, Whispering about the deeds I tried to do for them. And at last, without a guide and alone, I pass softly, very softly.