QUOTE : SWIFTLY walk o'er the western wave,<br />Spirit of Night!<br />Out of the misty eastern cave,--<br />Where, all the long and lone daylight,<br />Thou wovest dreams of joy and fear<br />Which make thee terrible and dear,--<br />Swift be thy flight!<br /><br />Wrap thy form in a mantle grey,<br />Star-inwrought!<br />Blind with thine hair the eyes of Day;<br />Kiss her until she be wearied out.<br />Then wander o'er city and sea and land,<br />Touching all with thine opiate wand--<br />Come, long-sought!<br /><br />When I arose and saw the dawn,<br />I sigh'd for thee;<br />When light rode high, and the dew was gone,<br />And noon lay heavy on flower and tree,<br />And the weary Day turn'd to his rest,<br />Lingering like an unloved guest,<br />I sigh'd for thee.<br /><br />Thy brother Death came, and cried,<br />'Wouldst thou me?'<br />Thy sweet child Sleep, the filmy-eyed,<br />Murmur'd like a noontide bee,<br />'Shall I nestle near thy side?<br />Wouldst thou me?'--And I replied,<br />'No, not thee!'<br /><br />Death will come when thou art dead,<br />Soon, too soon--<br />Sleep will come when thou art fled.<br />Of neither would I ask the boon<br />I ask of thee, beloved Night--<br />Swift be thine approaching flight,<br />Come soon, soon!