Poems (Shore)/Life's Jewels

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LIFE'S JEWELS
One after one, life's jewels I unbind— Take one, take all! they have no worth for me.Take from me every grace of heart and mind; Take youth, hope, fancy, love, and poesy.So cast I my poor mite upon thy store—Nothing to thee—but I have nothing more.
I cast in all, and the blind sculptured eyes Of my mute idol, still so blindly cold,Deem life's poor ashes a burnt sacrifice Too wholly worthless even to behold—Blind eyes, by not one human shadow crostThrough the dim incense of my holocaust.
My heart falls in its agony before thee, Pale image, who will never hear my cry;With sacrilegious worship I adore thee; Oh God! dost Thou behold that agonyWhose burning tears, had they to Thee been given,Might buy a contrite heart the promise of Thy heaven?
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My worthless being in profane despair, 'Neath the slow-moving wheels I fling away;Pass on, pass on more quick! I cannot bear This bitter lingering torment of delay.Crush out my senses quick, unpitying wheels;My heart, though wholly powerless, still feels.
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