White Stains

34 CONTRA CONJUGIUM T. B. B. A fetish foul, a devil’s lie, And worshipped that ? Thou shalt not mock, Thou barren rock ! “ Thou shalt not mock ! Cold Chastity, Father and child of Impotence, Whom thou hast set on high for me, From her foul shrine shall chase thee thence : ‘ Avoid, get hence ! ’ “ And I—thou shalt not scorn my word, All Nature sets its scorn on thee ; Sweet flower and stream, swift fish and bird, Shall chorus out ‘ Thou fruitless tree ! Thou salt dry sea ! ’ “ I will not aid thee in thine age, Nor heed thee in thy piteous strait ; Live thou in thine own empty cage, Forged every day that thou didst wait Too long, too late ! “ Shall I turn back the seasons past, Recall sun’s shine and cloudlet’s fleece,