Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
At Verona (Author: Oscar Wilde)

p.145

  1. 1] HOW steep the stairs within King's houses are
    2] For exile-wearied feet as mine to tread,
    3] And O how salt and bitter is the bread
    4] Which falls from this Hound's table,—better far
    5] That I had died in the red ways of war,
    6] Or that the gate of Florence bare my head,
    7] Than to live thus, by all things comraded
    8] Which seek the essence of my soul to mar.

    9] ‘Curse God and die: what better hope than this?’
    10] ‘He hath forgotten thee in all the bliss’
    11] ‘Of his gold city, and eternal day’—
    12] Nay peace: behind my prison's blinded bars
    13] I do possess what none can take away,
    14] My love, and all the glory of the stars.