The Poetical Works of George Barlow In Ten [Eleven] Volumes |
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 | The Poetical Works of George Barlow |  |
113
XIX. THE TEMPTER
When Satan found that woman's heart
Was strong and brave,
To tempting woman all his art
And subtlest thought he gave.
Was strong and brave,
To tempting woman all his art
And subtlest thought he gave.
And since he knew that flowers are nought,
Frail gifts, wind-blown,
His hand with peerless cunning wrought
Bright deathless flowers of stone.
Frail gifts, wind-blown,
His hand with peerless cunning wrought
Bright deathless flowers of stone.
All forms, all colours, he combined
And sought strange ways
To lure and charm the loitering mind
And snare the greedy gaze.
And sought strange ways
To lure and charm the loitering mind
And snare the greedy gaze.
One woman's soul was stainless still:
The ruby came
With rays that weakened spirit and will
And conquering blood-red flame.
The ruby came
With rays that weakened spirit and will
And conquering blood-red flame.
114
Another's heart was heart of steel,
Till sapphires drew
That heart to theirs with fond appeal
Of eyes of heavenly blue.
Till sapphires drew
That heart to theirs with fond appeal
Of eyes of heavenly blue.
Another's heart was cold and hard:
The emerald gleamed;
Of lovers' steps on moonlit sward
That heart with passion dreamed.
The emerald gleamed;
Of lovers' steps on moonlit sward
That heart with passion dreamed.
Another heart resisted long:—
What heart, a girl's,
For ever can resist the song
The sea chants through its pearls?
What heart, a girl's,
For ever can resist the song
The sea chants through its pearls?
So one by one the dark king took
The women all.
Lest any should refuse to look,
Predestined not to fall,
The women all.
Lest any should refuse to look,
Predestined not to fall,
He set within the turquoise, bright,
The blue sky's noon,
And in the opal sunset-light
And rays of stars and moon.
The blue sky's noon,
And in the opal sunset-light
And rays of stars and moon.
115
But some hearts yet remained unbought,
Unbribed, unwon:
Keen Satan softly smiled, and brought
Diamonds, that held the sun.
Unbribed, unwon:
Keen Satan softly smiled, and brought
Diamonds, that held the sun.
E'en so he failed to move each will,
To bend all knees;
For woman's true soul values still
Love's diamond more than these.
To bend all knees;
For woman's true soul values still
Love's diamond more than these.
| The Poetical Works of George Barlow | |