I cannot live with You－1
It would be Life－
And Life is over there－
Behind the Shelf
The Sexton keeps the Key to－5
Putting up
Our Life－His Porcelain－
Like a Cup－
Discarded of the Housewife－9
Quaint－or Broke－
A newer Sevres pleases－
Old Ones crack－
I could not die－with You－13
For One must wait
To shut the Other's Gaze down－
You－could not－
And I－Could I stand by 17
And see You－freeze－
Without my Right of Frost－
Death's privilege?
Nor could I rise－with You－21
Because Your Face
Would put out Jesus'－
That New Grace
Glow plain－and foreign 25
On my homesick Eye－
Except that You than He
Shone closer by－
They'd judge Us－How－ 29
For You－served Heaven－You know,
Or sought to－
I could not－
Because You saturated Sight－33
And I had no more Eyes
For sordid excellence
As Paradise
And were You lost, I would be－37
Though My Name
Rang loudest
On the Heavenly fame－
And were You－saved－41
And I－condemned to be
Where You were not－
That self－were Hell to Me－
So We must meet apart－45
You there－I－here－
With just the Door ajar
That Oceans are－and Prayer－
And that White Sustenance－
Despair－
It would be Life－
And Life is over there－
Behind the Shelf
The Sexton keeps the Key to－5
Putting up
Our Life－His Porcelain－
Like a Cup－
Discarded of the Housewife－9
Quaint－or Broke－
A newer Sevres pleases－
Old Ones crack－
I could not die－with You－13
For One must wait
To shut the Other's Gaze down－
You－could not－
And I－Could I stand by 17
And see You－freeze－
Without my Right of Frost－
Death's privilege?
Nor could I rise－with You－21
Because Your Face
Would put out Jesus'－
That New Grace
Glow plain－and foreign 25
On my homesick Eye－
Except that You than He
Shone closer by－
They'd judge Us－How－ 29
For You－served Heaven－You know,
Or sought to－
I could not－
Because You saturated Sight－33
And I had no more Eyes
For sordid excellence
As Paradise
And were You lost, I would be－37
Though My Name
Rang loudest
On the Heavenly fame－
And were You－saved－41
And I－condemned to be
Where You were not－
That self－were Hell to Me－
So We must meet apart－45
You there－I－here－
With just the Door ajar
That Oceans are－and Prayer－
And that White Sustenance－
Despair－
(F.706/J.640)
[1] I:: chrism, consecrated oil, pure or scented olive oil. You:: communion wine. live with:: to mix.
[2] Life:: the availability, usefulness.
[7, 8] Porcelain, Cup:: the vessel to keep the oil and wine.
[9–12] Discarded, Old:: the vessel is old.
[13] die:: to be used up.
[15] shut, Gaze:: chrism is used in the anointing of the sick (or extreme unction).
[18] freeze:: to keep still.
[19] Frost:: frigidity, coldness.
[20] Death:: without ferment in chrism, unlike wine.
[21] rise:: to leaven, ferment.
[23, 24] Jesus', New Grace:: communion wine as the Blood of Christ.
[26] homesick eye:: where olive tree grown.
[34] eyes:: buds, the ability to bloom.
[35, 36] sordid excellence, Paradise:: the death of olives to make oil for chrism.
[37] You lost:: wine with alcohol thought less.
[38] my name:: chrism is close to Christ.
[41–44] saved, Hell:: wine goes with new life, and chrism with death usually.
[49] White Sustenance:: communion bread.