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…re Though years decay ! With them my blood decays, My bones rot inwardly, the venomed days Sink shaft on shaft of agony, the years Bring new distortions, miseries, and fears ; New torture to my spirit, and forgot Of God, and health, and loveliness, I rot.
110 WITH DOG AND DAME We wake her passion, either one Licking each pouting pair of lips Till new sweet streams of nectar run. ’ Tis Autumn, and the dying breeze Murmurs “ embrace ”; the moon replies “ Embrace ” ; the soughing of the trees Calls us to linger loverwise, And drain our passion to the lees. ’ Tis Autumn. The belated dove Calls through the beeches, that bestir Themselves to kiss the skies above, As I will kiss with him and her. Leave us, sweet Autumn, to our love.
…Á¿´ ¯Ä¿Å O½±Á I know that winged sprite Who flew from heaven—was it hell ?— Into these bounds of light And music—yesternight— Had some new song to tell. I saw a living soul Flame into mortal dress ; Whose glance—a fiery coal, Whose lips—a ruby bowl Whose wine was wickedness. They were strange lips, I ween, Whereon no kiss might be, And teeth were sharp therein ; Ivory and white and keen, Tameless as hungering sea. Strange body of my desire, Voluptuous, lithe, and wan ; For, on my eyes drawn nigher,
…ren fountain blushing from the womb, Like to an echo of Augustan gloom When all men drank this wine ; it maddens me With yearnings after new divinity, Prize of thy draught, some where beyond the tomb.
90 THE BLOOD-LOTUS Thy charm enticeth, for the spoils of victory, all an evil mind. Thy perfume doth confound my thought, new longings echo, and I crave Doubtful liaisons with the grave and loves of Parthia for sport, I think perhaps no longer yet, but dream and lust for stranger things Than ever sucked the lips of kings, or fed the tears of Mahomet. Quaint carven vampire bats, unseen in curious hollows of the trees, Or deadlier serpents coiled at eased round carcasses of birds unclean. All wandering changeful spectre shapes that dance in slow …
…de shall bear our spirit out Into the ocean of all happiness Whose bounds are Heaven. She. See ! the scythe of Time Sweeps on to cut the new-born flowers in twain That symbolizes the reluctant hour In which we met—and now the flower is dead And we must part. He. Fond hearts, chaste souls, as one Whose unity is sacred, still shall dwell Together—Not the cold embrace Of “ We shall meet again ”, but let us say The ritual of a lover, being this “ God be with you ! ” She. O heart too dear to me, Too much beloved for lover’s tongue to tell, God be wi…
…t in her heart my sorceress has songs more sinful, that I learn As she sings slowly all their shame, and makes me tingle with delight At new debaucheries, whose might rekindles blood and bone to flame. The circle gathers. Negresses howl in the naked dance, and wheel On poniard-blades of poisoned steel, and weep out blood in agonies ; Strange beast and reptile writhe ; the song grows high and melancholy now ; The perfume savours every brow with lust unutterable of wrong ; Clothed with my flower-bride I sit, a harlot in a harlot’s dress, And laug…
… aught thou wilt, are with thy mind, and thy account With God shall bear my name the more ; give me the knowledge, me the power For some new sin one little hour, and bankrupt God the creditor : Steal from his stock of suffering ; his tender mercies rob at will ; Destroy his graciousness, until he must avenge the name of king. Strange fascinations whirl and wind about my spirit lying coils ;
… and the pool Of rank putrescence from the stool Thy hanged corpse gave, whose luscious stink Excites these songs sublime. The rod Gains new desire ; dive, howl, cling, suck, Rave, shriek, and chew ; excite the fuck, Hold me, I come ! I’m dead ! My God !
THE BLOOD-LOTUS 87 The scents fulfil, they permeate all lips, all arteries, and fire New murmured music on the lyre that throbs the horrors they create. Omniscient blossom ! Is thy red slack bosom fresher for my kiss ? Are thy loves sharper ? Hast thou bliss in all the sorrows of the dead ? Why art thou paler when the moon grows loftier in the troublous sky ? Why dost thou beat and heave when I press lips of fire, hell’s princeliest boon, To thy mad petals, green and gold like angels’ wings, when as a flood God’s essence fills them, and the blo…
…ave of love’s bidding we might do, Save on our lust to place a yoke Too bitter to be lightly broke. Each might we drew on, and something new Of lust we learnt, insatiate we Who wrote in blood the volumes through That speak of love. But then there grew A giant lust, strong as the sea ; And we with fresh delight assayed The fierce sweet bond of tribady, The strange strong sin of sodomy,
…ree. There all the winter may we idly dream Still of our love, and there forgetfulness Of the past sorrow may steal o’er thy brow In the new birth of stainless happiness, Rich harvest of the blossoms desire, Satisfied alway, yet for ever fresh In hearts so passionate, and there may’st thou Love to thy fulness, nor for ever tire Of linking me to thee with dainty mesh Of auburn ripples of delicious fire. 5 Doubt not, dear love, nor hesitate to say ; Blush if thou wilt ; I love to see thy cheek
…dies weep Thick sweet salt tears, and, clasping as of yore Within dull limits of Earth’s barren shore, Fulfil immense desires of strange new shames, Burn into one another as the flames Of our hell fuse us into one wild soul : Then, one immaculate divinest whole, Plunge, fire, within all fire, dive far to death ; Till, like king Satan’s sympathetic breath, Burn on us as a voice from far above Strange nameless elements of fire and love ; And we, one mouth to kiss, one soul to lure, For ever, wedded, one, divine, endure Far from sun, sea, and spri…
… The corpse among the living ! Intercede, Good pitying pitiable Christ ! My need Is viler than my sins ! Old sins, you tire ! Come, some new devilry to reinspire My lips with frenzied laughter ! Vain, ah, vain ! Th’ extreme of pleasure and the worst of pain, I have tasted all. No more, all hope must end— Hope ! Damn that word ! It mocks me like that friend
…fascinating character was accused, four years later, in Vienna, of poisoning her paramour, but thanks to the wealth and influence of her new lover, she escaped. The legal father, left by himself with a squalling child to amuse, to appease in his tantrums, and to bring up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, was not a little perplexed by the sudden disappearance of his wife. At first he supposed that she had been translated, but, finding that she had not left the traditional mantle behind her, he abandoned this supposition in favour of qui…