The Mirror Eighth Edition | Page 6

Ah , my darling Juliet , what can I say to praise your beauty that I have not already spoken in my poetry ? Let me be your little bird , Juliet . Let me follow you across the river of Hades and join you on the Isle of the Blessed . Death is too unworthy to hold your beauty in its icy grip . Please , Juliet , your little bird , like Orpheus of the myths , sings for you to come back to the land of the living . For the light within you would shine once more , blocking out nature ’ s wonder and pulchritude . Please , Juliet , come back to me .

I am going to the apothecary soon . I will join you shortly at the Capulet tomb , where we will forever remain together . Even death will not separate us , lovely Juliet .

One final message , though , before I join you , for these words must be said while I am still in the living world . Dear Juliet , I praise thee and thank thee for the short time we had together in matrimony . I thank thee for staying loyal to me and loving me despite the hatred between our families . If I had only been born by some other name than the cursed Montague ! I will think of your good heart and perfect face with fondness until the moment I depart from this world to re-enter your gracious light . For Juliet , you are my light , and I cannot live without you by my side . Thou art my heart , for you healed it , loved it , empowered it , and now broken it . Thank you for loving me , and I will see you shortly .

Your little bird , Your passionate lover , And the pilgrim forever in debt to his saint , Romeo .

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