Songs of the Spirit

I said : the height is as the deep, Twin breasts of one white dove ; Death’s face is as the face of Sleep, And Lust is likest Love. And with my blood I forced the door That guards the palaces of sin ; I reached the lake’s cinereous shore ; I passed those groves within. My blood was wasted in her veins, To freshen them, who stood like death, Our Lady of ten thousand Pains With heavy kissing breath. I said : Our Lady is as God, Her hell of pain as heaven above ; Death’s feet, like Sleep’s, with fire are shod, And Lust is likest Love. Our Lady crushed me in her bed, Between her breasts my life was wet ; My lips from that sweet death were fed ; I died, and would forget. 22