Death and the Unhappy Man

								
A Miserable Man incessant prayed
    To Death for aid.
"Oh, Death!" he cried. "I love thee as a friend!
Come quickly, and my life's long sorrows end!"
Death, wishing to oblige him, ran,
Knocked at the door, entered, and eyed the man.
"What do I see? begone, thou hideous thing!
    The very sight
Strikes me with horror and affright!
Begone, old Death!--Away, thou grisly King!"
Mecænas (hearty fellow) somewhere said;
    "Let me be gouty, crippled, impotent and lame,
    'Tis all the same.
So I but keep on living. Death, thou slave!
Come not at all, and I shall be content."
And that was what the man I mention meant.


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