Explore "The Refusal of Charon" by W.E. Aytoun on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Why look the distant mountains / So gloomy and so drear?
Are rain-clouds passing o'er them, / Or is the tempest near?
No shadow of the temptest / Is there, nor wind nor rain -- / 'Tis Charon that is passing by, / With all his gloomy train.
The young men march before him, / In all their strength and pride; / The tender little infants, / They totter by his side; / The old men walk behind him, / And earnestly they pray -- / Both old and young imploring him / To grant some brief delay.
"O Charon! halt, we pray thee, / Beside some little town, / Or near some sparkling fountain, / Where the waters wimple down!
The old will drink and be refreshed, / The young the disc will fling, / And the tender little children / Pluck flowers beside the spring."
"I will not stay my journey, / Nor halt by any town, / Near any sparkling fountain, / Where the waters wimple down: / The mothers coming to the well, / Would know the babes they bore, / The wives would clasp their husbands, / Nor could I part them more. "