I read my sentence steadily

VII.

IREAD my sentence steadily,

      Reviewed it with my eyes,

To see that I made no mistake

In its extremest clause,—

The date, and manner of the shame;

And then the pious form

That "God have mercy" on the soul

The jury voted him.

I made my soul familiar

With her extremity,

That at the last it should not be

A novel agony,

But she and Death, acquainted,

Meet tranquilly as friends,

Salute and pass without a hint—

And there the matter ends.