Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition

Renunciation (Author: Pádraic H. Pearse)

p.324

1. 1] Naked I saw thee,
   2] O beauty of beauty,
   3] And I blinded my eyes
   4] For fear I should fail.
2. 5] I heard thy music,
   6] O melody of melody,
   7] And I closed my ears
   8] For fear I should falter.
3. 9] I tasted thy mouth,
   10] O sweetness of sweetness,
   11] And I hardened my heart
   12] For fear of my slaying.
4. 13] I blinded my eyes,
   14] And I closed my ears,
   15] I hardened my heart
   16] And I smothered my desire.
5. 17] I turned my back
   18] On the vision I had shaped,

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   p.325

   19] And to this road before me
   20] I turned my face.
6. 21] I have turned my face
   22] To this road before me,
   23] To the deed that I see
   24] And the death I shall die.