PROLOGUE
Dark fires of horror about it and within,
A changing, dreadful Shape:
Nowa distorted ape;
Now an impending vampire, vast and lean ;
Last, a dark woman pressed,
The world unto her breast,
Soothed and caressed
With evil words and kisses of the mouth of Sin.
The Breath of men adoring. ‘ Worship we!
‘The mighty Wisdom, the astounding power,
‘‘ The Horror, the immense profundity,
‘The stealthy, secret passes of thy Bower!
‘Thee we adore and praise
“Whose breast is broad as day’s;
‘‘ Thee, thee, the mistress of the barren sea,
“‘ Deep, deadly, poisonous;
“‘ Accept the life of us,
‘‘ Dwell in our midst; yea, show thy cruelty!
‘‘ Suck out the life and breath
‘‘ From breast that quickeneth.
“ Such pain is death,
“ Such terror, such delight—all, all is unto thee!”
I too, I also, I have known thy kiss.
I also drank the milk that poisons man,
Sought to assume the impenetrable bliss
By spells profound and draughts Canidian.
One lifted me: and, lo!
Thalassian, white as snow,