Rosa Inferni

No serpent in the generous draught of wine ? Did I guess all, who guessed your life well given Up to my kiss ? Aha ! the veil is riven ! Beneath the smiling mask of a young bride Languorous, luscious, melancholy-eyed ; Beneath the gentle raptures, hints celestial Of holy secrets, kisses like soft dew, Beneath the amorous mystery, I view The surer shape, a visage grim and bestial, A purpose sly and deadly, a black shape, A tiger snarling, or a grinning ape Resolved by every devilish device Upon my murder. This I clearly see Now you are—for an hour—away from me. I see it once ; no need to tell me twice ! II OME Yankee yelled—I tag it to a rime— “ You can’t fool all the people all the time.” So he of politics ; so I of love. I am a-many folk (let Buddha prove !) And many a month you fooled the lot of us— Your spell is cracked within the ring ! Behold How Christ with clay worth more than any gold Cleared the man’s eyes ! So the blind amorous Is blinded with the horror of the truth He sees this moment. Foolish prostitute ! 2 S