The Frost of Death was on the Pane --

The Frost of Death was on the Pane --
"Secure your Flower" said he.
Like Sailors fighting with a Leak
We fought Mortality.

Our passive Flower we held to Sea --
To Mountain -- To the Sun --
Yet even on his Scarlet shelf
To crawl the Frost begun --

We pried him back
Ourselves we wedged
Himself and her between,
Yet easy as the narrow Snake
He forked his way along

Till all her helpless beauty bent
And then our wrath begun --
We hunted him to his Ravine
We chased him to his Den --

We hated Death and hated Life
And nowhere was to go --
Than Sea and continent there is
A larger -- it is Woe --