THE TWENTIETH DAY 
 
“ ‘ Val.’      How long hath she been deformed ? 
‘ Speed.’  Ever since you loved her.” 
Two Gentlemen of Vernona. 
 
Again the unveiled goddess of delight 
Watched us at midnight :  there my lover lay 
Child-breasted, maiden as the rose of day 
Dawning on snowy mountains :  through deep night 
Her body gleamed self-luminously white 
With the sweet soul that sundered the quick clay, 
And all her being was a sense of May ;— 
Scent conquering colour, soul out-running sight. 
 
Not with the Lysian, nor Iacchian dew 
Of frenzy covered, but with warmer flakes 
Of Aphrodite shed upon our life, 
We clung still closer, till the soul ran through 
Body to body, twined like sunny snakes, 
Sinlessly knowing we were man and wife. 
 
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