The Mother’s Tragedy

MADONNA OF THE GOLDEN EYES 77 ‘‘Come with me,” you whispered, ‘‘come, and let the moon Lend her light to madden us through the hours of pleasure; Let the dayspring pass and brighten into noon! Yet no limit find our love, nor passion find a measure !” O Madonna of the Golden Eyes! Dawn brought reason back, and the violet eyes are sadder, O they were golden once, and I call them golden still! Dawn has brought remorse, the sting of a foul swamp- adder— I hate you! beast of Hell! I have snapped Love’s manacle! O Murderess of the hateful eyes! O and you fix them on me, your lips curse now—'tis fitter! Snarl on! eat out your heart with the poison that is its blood. Speak! and her lips move now with blasphemies cruel and bitter. Slow the words creep forth as a sleepy and deadly flood. They glitter, those Satanic eyes! ‘“‘Beast! I gave you my soul and my body to all your lust!