THE SECOND DAY 
 
“ Keep you in the rear of your affection 
Out of the shot and danger of desire.” 
Hamlet. 
 
I was so hopeless that I turned away 
And gave my love to foul oblivion, 
Shuttered my bosom’s window from the sun, 
Kindled a corpse-light and proclaimed “ The day ! ”; 
Lurked in Aeaean fens to elude the ray 
Whose beauty might disturb me :  I did shun 
The onyx eyes that saw me not as one 
Possible even for a moment’s play. 
 
Thus I was tangled in some house of hell, 
Giving mine own soul’s beauty up to lust, 
Hoping to build some fort impregnable 
Against my love :  instead the deep disgust 
Of my own beasthood crushed it into dust, 
And left my manhood twisted in her spell. 
 
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