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Page 1 of 11922 · PDF PAGE 7
In the infernal potion of that flower, My poisonous passion for your blood! Behold! How utterly I yield, how gladly dower Our sin with my own spirit’s quenched gold, Clothe love with my own soul’s immortal power, Give thee my body as a fire to hold— O love, no words, no songs—your breast my bower! NON SUM QUALIS ERAM BONAE SUB REGNO CYNARAE (By Ernest Dowson. From Poems. 1905) LAs? night, ah yesternight, betwixt her lips and mine There fell thy shadow, Cynara! thy breath was shed Upon my soul between the kisses and the wine; And I was desolate …
1922 · PDF PAGE 2
…ses, that shed Monstrous desires of secret things Upon their worshippers, from wings One lucent web of light, from head One labyrinthine passion-fed Palace of love, from breathing rife With secrets of forbidden life. But not the sunlight, nor the stars, Nor any light but theirs alone, Nor iron masteries of Mars, Nor Saturn’s misconceiving zone, Nor any planet’s may be shown, Within the circle of the grove, ‘Where burn the sanctities of love: Nor may the foot of man be known, Nor evil eyes of mothers thrown On maidens that desire the kiss Only o…
1922 · PDF PAGE 6
…ur prize, And on them burns the whole life’s hope: you deem You buy a heart; but I am well aware How my damnation dwells in that supreme Passion to feed upon your shoulders bare, And pass the dewy twilight of our sin In the intolerable flames of hair That clothe my body from your head; you win The devil’s bargain; I am yours to kill, Yours, for one kiss; my spirit for your skin! O bitter love, consuming all my will! O love destroying, that hast drained my life Of all those fountains of dear blood that fill My heartt O woman, would I call you wi…
1922 · PDF PAGE 5
…oks deadly, looks desirable, ‘The touch that fires, the next kiss, and the whole Body embracing, symbol of the soul, And all the perfect passion of an hour. Turn to me, pluck that amaranthine flower, And leave the doubtful blossoms of the sky! You dare not kiss me! dare not draw you nigh Lest I should lure you to remain! nor speak Lest you should catch the blood within your cheek Mantling. You dared enough—so long ago!— ‘When to my blossom body clean as snow You pressed your bosom till desire was pain, And—then—that midnight! you did dare remai…