200
POEMS.
"Thy fever they will cool, allay;
Thy failing strength revive and stay."
Thy failing strength revive and stay."
Reproachful turned the dying eyes,
The whispers came like dying sighs:
The whispers came like dying sighs:
"Brother, thou mightst do better deed
Than tempt the dying in his need.
Than tempt the dying in his need.
"Thy words are but the devil's mesh,
To snare at last my carnal flesh."
To snare at last my carnal flesh."
Silent, Macarius went his way.
Untouched the purple clusters lay
Untouched the purple clusters lay
Beside the dying hermit's bed.
They found them there who found him dead,—
They found them there who found him dead,—
Two brother hermits who each morn,
Water and bread to him had borne.
Water and bread to him had borne.
"He drinks of living waters now,"
They pious said, and smoothed his brow,
They pious said, and smoothed his brow,
And prayed, and laid him in the ground,
Envying the rest he had found.
Envying the rest he had found.
The purple grapes still lying there,
Filled with sweet scent the desert air.
Filled with sweet scent the desert air.
"Where could these luscious clusters grow?"
"He tasted not," they whispered low;
"He tasted not," they whispered low;
