Tears in Sleep

    All night the cocks crew， under a moon like day，

    And I， in the cage of sleep， on a stranger's breast，

    Shed tears， like a task not to be put away——

    In the false light， false grief in my happy bed，

    A labor¹ of tears， set against joy's undoing².

    I would not wake at your word， I had tears to say.

    I clung to the bars of the dream and they were said，

    And pain's derisive hand had given me rest

    From the night giving off flames， and the dark renewing