AMBERGRIS 
71 
O fearful firstling dove ! 
My dawn and spring of love, 
Love’s light and lure ! 
Look (as I bend above) 
Through bright lids filled thereof 
Perfect and pure, 
Thy bloom of maidenhood. 
I could not :  if I could, 
I would not :  being good, 
Also endure ! 
 
Cruel, to tear or mar 
The chaliced nenuphar ; 
Cruel to press 
The rosebud ;  cruel to scar 
Or stain the flower-star 
With mad caress. 
But crueller to destroy 
The leaping life and joy 
Born in a careless boy 
From lone distress. 
 
More cruel then art thou 
The calm and chaste of brow, 
If thou dost this. 
Forget the feeble vow 
Ill sworn ;  all laws allow 
Pity, that is 
Kin unto love, and mild 
List to the sad and wild 
Crying of the lonely child 
Who asks a kiss. 
 
One kiss, like snow, to slip, 
Cool fragrance from thy lip 
To melt on mine ; 
One kiss, a white-sail ship 
To laugh and leap and dip 
Her brows divine ;