H.D. (Hilda Doolittle)
Lethe
Nor skin nor hide nor fleece
shall cover you,
nor curtain of crimson nor fine
shelter of cedar-wood be over you,
nor the fir-tree
nor the pine.
Nor sight of whin nor gorse
nor river-yew,
nor fragrance of flowering bush,
nor wailing of reed-bird to waken you,
nor of linnet,
nor of thrush.
Nor word nor touch nor sight
of lover, you
shall long through the night but for this:
the roll of the full tide to cover you
without question,
without kiss.
H.D. (Hilda Doolittle), Collected Poems, New Directions, 1986.