The Star in the West

84 THE STAR IN THE WEST Kiss , as we could not ever kiss again ! Kiss me , between the music of our sighing , Lightning and rain ! 1 A curious conflict this ’twixt love and fear , “ honour and lust , and truth and trust beguiled ; " they wan dered in the scented garden of man's heart , and all their restraint was as ephemeral as the fleeting hour . “ And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food , and that it was pleasant to the eyes , and a tree to be desired to make one wise , she took of the fruit thereof , and did eat , and gave also unto her husband with her ; and he did eat .” ( N.B. — Husband : neither church nor registry office is mentioned !) Linked in the tiny shelf upon the ship , My blind eyes burned into her mild ones : limbs Twined to each other while fine dew bedims Their quivering skins : lip fastened unto lip : Whole soul and body frenzied meet and clip ; And the breath staggers , and the life - blood swims ! Terrible gods chant black demoniac hymns As the frail cords of honour strain and slip . For in the midst of that tremendous tide The mighty vigour of a god was mine ! Drunk with desire , her lamentations died . The dove gave place a moment to the swine ! Rapturous draughts of madness ! Out she sighed Uttermost life's love , and became a bride .? Not like Adam and Eve , however , did they then discover that they were naked , such epilogues being more especially suited to the author of “ Lot and his Daughters ” and “ The Concubine of Gibeah ,” than 66 1 Alice , an Adultery , vol . ii, p . 76 . Ibid . vol . ii, p . 77 . Many sins are forgiven this woman because she hath loved much ."