207 
 
 
 
 
 
LE BALCON 
 
MOTHER of memories, and queen of queens !   
  Thou, all my happiness !  Thou, all my duty !   
Remember the dear hearth, the twilight screens, 
 Thy beauty, and our passion, and thy beauty !   
Mother of memories, and queen of queens !   
 
Those evenings in the firelight velvet-lined 
 Or on the balcony, veiled by rosy wings 
Of mist.  Thy breast was soft, thy kiss was kind. 
 We often said imperishable things 
Those evenings in the firelight velvet-lined. 
 
On summer evenings how the sun is fine !   
 How space seems deep !  How roars the heart’s red flood !   
I lean toward thee, adoring, queen of mine, 
 And thought I breathed the perfume of thy blood— 
On summer evenings how the sun is fine !   
 
The night fell thick and thick, a screen of sable ;   
 Mine eyes within the blackness guessed at thine. 
I drank thy sighs—oh poison comfortable !   
 Thy feet slept in these brother hands of mine :   
The night fell thick and thick, a screen of sable.