White Stains

56 ALL NIGHT Dry separate dunghill of burnt Golgotha. But we will wrest from heaven a little star, The Star of Bethlehem, a lying light Fit for our candle, and by devils’ might Fix in the vast concave of hell for us To lume its ghastly shadows murderous, That in the mirror of the lake of fire We may behold the image of Desire Stretching broad wings upon us, and may leap Each upon other, till our bodies weep Thick sweet salt tears, and, clasping as of yore Within dull limits of Earth’s barren shore, Fulfil immense desires of strange new shames, Burn into one another as the flames Of our hell fuse us into one wild soul : Then, one immaculate divinest whole, Plunge, fire, within all fire, dive far to death ; Till, like king Satan’s sympathetic breath, Burn on us as a voice from far above Strange nameless elements of fire and love ; And we, one mouth to kiss, one soul to lure, For ever, wedded, one, divine, endure Far from sun, sea, and spring from love or light, Imbedded in impenetrable night ;