Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg
Dark Lady Sonnet 146

CXLVI

Poor soul, the centre of my sinful earth,
[Fool'd by] these rebel powers that thee array,
Why dost thou pine within and suffer dearth,
Painting thy outward walls so costly gay?
Why so large cost, having so short a lease,
Dost thou upon thy fading mansion spend?
Shall worms, inheritors of this excess,
Eat up thy charge? Is this thy body�s end?
Then, soul, live thou upon thy servant�s loss,
And let that pine to aggravate thy store;
Buy terms divine in selling hours of dross;
Within be fed, without be rich no more.
      So shall thou feed on Death, that feeds on men,
      And Death once dead, there�s no more dying then.

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