Dies Irae
Dies Irae
AMBROSE BIERCE
3561
Day of Satans’ painful duty!
Earth shall vanish, hot and sooty:
So says Virtue, so says Beauty
Ah! what terror shall be shaping
When the Judge the truth’s undraping!
Cats from ev’ry bag escaping!
Now the trumpet’s invocation
Calls the dead to condemnation:
All receive an invitation
Death and Nature now are quaking,
And the late lamented, waking
In their breezy shrouds are shaking
Lo! the Ledger’s leaves are stirring,
And the Clerk, to them referring,
Makes it awkward for the erring
When the Judge appears in session,
We shall all attend confession,
Loudly preaching non-suppression
How shall I then make romances
Mitigating circumstances?
E’en the just must take their chances
King whose majesty amazes,
Save thou him who sings thy praises;
Fountain, quench my private blazes
Pray remember, sacred Savior,
Mine the playful hand that gave your
Death-blow Pardon such behavior
Seeking me fatigue assailed thee,
Calv’ry’s outlook naught availed thee;
Now ’twere cruel if I failed thee
Righteous judge and learned brother,
Pray thy prejudices smother
E’er we meet to try each other
Sighs of guilt my conscience gushes,
And my face vermilion flushes;
Spare me for my pretty blushes
Thief and harlot, when repenting,
Thou forgavest-complimenting
Me with sign of like relenting
If too bold is my petition,
I’ll receive with due submission
My dismissal-from perdition
When thy sheep thou hast selected
From thy goats, ‘may I, respected,
Stand amongst them undetected
When offenders are indicted,
And with trial-flames ignited,
Elsewhere I’ll attend if cited
When offenders are indicted,
And with trial-flames ignited,
Elsewhere I’ll attend if cited
Ashen-hearted, prone, and prayerful,
When of death I see the air full,
Lest I perish, too, be careful
On that day of lamentation,
When, t’enjoy the conflagration,
Men come forth, O, be not cruel,
Spare me, Lord-make them thy fuel!