One of the most beautiful use of the rhyming of “breath” with “death” occurs in Emily Dickinson’s Poem 172. The punctuation, as always in her poems, is as telling as the words. Do try out reading her poems aloud, following the punctuation. I always find it challenging and surprising. Particularly masterful is the punctuation in the lines “:Life is but Life! And Death, but Death!/Bliss is, but bliss, and Breath but Breath!”, marking “life” and “breath” as fluid and “death” and “bliss” as somewhat separate. And yet, the rhyme occurs between “death” and “breath”, connecting them at the end of the line, at the end of life.
’Tis so much joy! ’Tis so much joy!
If I should fail, what poverty!
And yet, as poor as I,
Have ventured all upon a throw!
Have gained! Yes! Hesitated so –
This side the Victory!
Life is but Life! And Death, but Death!
Bliss is, but bliss, and Breath but Breath!
And if indeed I fail,
At least, to know the worst, is sweet!
Defeat means nothing but Defeat,
No drearier, can befall!
And if I gain! Oh, Gun at Sea!
Oh Bells, that in the Steeples be!
At first, repeat it slow!
For Heaven is a different thing,
Conjectured, and waked sudden in –
And might extinguish me!
Emily Dickinson
Source: Emily Dickinson, Complete Poems, Faber & Faber, 2016