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"Son, Remember"
Christina Rossetti

I laid beside thy gate, am Lazarus;
 See me or see me not I still am there,
 Hungry and thirsty, sore and sick and bare,
Dog-comforted and crumbs-solicitous:
While thou in all thy ways art sumptuous,
 Daintily clothed, with dainties for thy fare:
 Thus a world's wonder thou art quit of care,
And be I seen or not seen I am thus.
One day a worm for thee, a worm for me:
 With my worm angel songs and trumpet burst
 And plenitude an end of all desire:
But what for thee, alas! but what for thee?
 Fire and an unextinguishable thirst,
 Thirst in an unextinguishable fire.

Editor: Jim Bender
Last modified: Monday, August 13th, 2007
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