By a Bier-Side

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  This is a sacred city built of marvellous earth.
  Life was lived nobly here to give such beauty birth.

  Beauty was in this brain and in this eager hand:
  Death is so blind and dumb Death does not understand.
  Death drifts the brain with dust and soils the young limbs' glory,
  Death makes justice a dream, and strength a traveller's story.
  Death drives the lovely soul to wander under the sky.
  Death opens unknown doors.  It is most grand to die.

© John Masefield