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And who by fire, who by water
Who in the sunshine, who in the night time
Who by high ordeal, who by common trial
Who in your merry merry month of may
Who by very slow decay
And who shall I say is calling?
And who in her lonely slip, who by barbiturate
Who in these realms of love, who by something blunt
Who by avalanche, who by powder
Who for his greed, who for his hunger
And who shall I say is calling?
And who by brave assent, who by accident
Who in solitude, who in this mirror
Who by his lady's command, who by his own hand
Who in mortal chains, who in power
And who shall I say is calling?
Who in the sunshine, who in the night time
Who by high ordeal, who by common trial
Who in your merry merry month of may
Who by very slow decay
And who shall I say is calling?
And who in her lonely slip, who by barbiturate
Who in these realms of love, who by something blunt
Who by avalanche, who by powder
Who for his greed, who for his hunger
And who shall I say is calling?
And who by brave assent, who by accident
Who in solitude, who in this mirror
Who by his lady's command, who by his own hand
Who in mortal chains, who in power
And who shall I say is calling?
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"your merry, merry month of May" - seems to me to be quite sarcastic, as in if you died in the month of May, it wouldn't be so merry after all. Again, saying that death can come at any time, and in any form.
"Who shall I say is calling?" - I agree with "track", he's questioning who is it that decides, the when and the where.
Fabulous, chilling stuff. Thank you , Leonard.
"who in your merry merry month of may,<br /> who by very slow decay,"<br /> <br /> I think it means who will die young in their prime (may implies spring time and youth) and who will die old and suffer through aging and gradual decline in health.