Oracles

96 ASSUMPTA CANIDIA A million million voices roared aloud ! A million million sabres flashed between ! Flamed the vast falchion ! Fiery Cherubin Flung me astounded to the mist and cloud. A stone, flung downward through eternal space, I dropped. What bitter curses and despair Rang through wide aether ! How the trumpet blare Cursed back at me ! Thou canst not see His Face ! Equal and Spouse ? Bring forth the Virgin Dower, Eternal Wisdom and Eternal Power ! I woke ! and in a well’s untroubled pool I saw my face—and I was ugly now ! Blood-spattered ebony eyelash and white brow ! Blood on my lips, and hair, and breast ! “ Thou fool ! ” A horrid torture in my heart—and then I licked my lips : the tigress tasted blood. My changèd features—wash them in the flood Of murder ! This is power over men And angels. I will lift the twisted rod, And make my power as the power of God ! I made my beauty as it was before. I learned strange secrets ; by my love and skill I bent creation to my wanded will. I tuned the stars, I bound the bitter shore Beyond the Pleiads : until the Universe Moved at my mantra : Heaven and Hell obeyed ; Creation at my orders stayed or swayed. “ Take back,” I cried, “ the mockery of a curse ! ”