for a breath I tarry

Question

I just read the story: For a Breath I Tarry by Roger Zelazny.
Now I hope someone out there how read the story or not? will be able to tell me what Frost meant on the last page of the story by saying: '' for a breath I tarry nor yet disperse apart '' I have searched and searched and asked around but nowhere to find an answer.
I have my theories but they don't satisfiy me that much.

hopefuly there is someone who can tell what he meant, It doesn't have to be exactly right, I would love to just read your vison of the story too.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Do you know that the phrase is from the poem called  'A Shropshire   Lad' by A, E, Housman.

From far, from eve and morning And yon twelve-winded sky, The stuff of life to knit me Blew hither: here am I.  Now- for a breath I tarry Nor yet disperse apart-          Take my hand quick and tell me,           What have you in your heart.          Speak now, and I will answer;           How shall I help you, say;          Ere to the wind's twelve quarters           I take my endless way.

Now note how a lot of these lines are quoted by Frost in the story.

"Frost?"  "Hello, Beta.  Hear this thing: 'From far, from eve and morning and yon twelve-winded sky, the stuff of life to knit blew hither: here am I.'" "I know it," said Beta. "What is next, then?" "'...Now-for a breath I tarry nor yet disperse apart-take my hand quick and tell me, what have you in your heart.'"  "Your Pole is cold," said Frost, "and I am lonely."  "I have no hands," said Beta.  "Would you like a couple?"  "Yes, I would."  "Then come to me in Bright Defile," he said, "where Judgment Day is nota thing that can be delayed for overlong."  They called him Frost.  They called her Beta.

I must confess that I have read neither the poem  nor the story in full.
but there is an obvious irony in  having a machine quote lines that reflect on the briefness of human life.

I will leave you to figure it out.

Clive

Sorry,my quoted lines are mixed up by our editor.
Look at  this reference for the poem, search for 'tarry', and compare the lines to the end of the story.
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/5720/5720-h/5720-h.htm

for a breath I tarry

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