90 
THE BLOOD-LOTUS 
 
Thy charm enticeth, for the spoils of victory, all an 
evil mind. 
 
Thy perfume doth confound my thought, new longings 
echo, and I crave 
Doubtful liaisons with the grave and loves of Parthia 
for sport, 
 
I think perhaps no longer yet, but dream and lust for 
stranger things 
Than ever sucked the lips of kings, or fed the tears of 
Mahomet. 
 
Quaint carven vampire bats, unseen in curious hollows 
of the trees, 
Or deadlier serpents coiled at eased round carcasses of 
birds unclean. 
 
All wandering changeful spectre shapes that dance in 
slow sweet measure round 
And merge themselves in the profound, nude women 
and distorted apes 
 
Grotesque and hairy, in their rage more rampant than 
the stallion steed ;