Give me the fire of Being's burning breath!
Life, swooping with scarlet wings
To the pale face of death,
Beating back coldness on the livid lip;
Great seas where rose-gilled fish swim in the tide,
And there is no invading man or ship;
Life in the jungle, radiant, spawning green
And yellow blossomry, and berries red --
Fullness of life I ask and then
A long, long sleep at last when I am dead!
First published in The Sydney Morning Herald, 8 September 1934
