Cerrar podrá mis ojos la postrera
sombra que me llevare el blanco día,
y podrá desatar esta alma mía
 hora a su afán ansioso lisonjera;

mas no, de esotra parte, en la ribera,
dejará la memoria, en donde ardía:
nadar sabe mi llama la agua fría,
y perder el respeto a ley severa.

Alma a quien todo un dios prisión ha sido,
venas que humor a tanto fuego han dado,
medulas que han gloriosamente ardido:

su cuerpo dejará, no su cuidado;
serán ceniza, mas tendrá sentido;
polvo serán, mas polvo enamorado.
 

Closed, my eyes could be, by the last 
shadow that the bright day may bring, 
And it could cajolingly free my soul 
Now from its anxious zeal; 

But not, from that other side, on the bank 
will memory leave, where it burned: 
to swim my flame knows the cold water 
and pay no heed to a severe law. 

Soul to whom an entire god prison has been, 
veins which fuel to so much fire have given, 
marrows that have so gloriously burned, 

Its body it will leave, not its concern: 
they may be ash, yet it will have feeling; 
dust they may be, but dust that loves.
 

Perhaps whatever final shadow that 
the shining day may bring could close my eyes,
and this my soul may well be set aflight
by time responding to its longing sighs; 

but it will not, there on the farther shore
its memory leave behind, where once it burned:
my flame the icy current yet can swim,
and so severe a law can surely spurn.

Soul by no less than a god confined,
veins that such a blazing fire have fueled,
marrow to its glorious flames consigned:

the body will abandon, not its woes;
will soon be ash, but ash that is aware;
dust will be, but dust whose love still grows. 

          yet will not forsake 
     memory of this shore where it burned
                  but still burning swim
                  that cold water again
                  careless of the stern law

                  soul that kept God in prison 
              veins that to love led such fire 
                marrow that flamed in glory

                  not their heeding will leave
                  with their body
                  but being ash will feel
                  dust be dust in love