 | 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition |  |
THE NIGHT ROSE.
They called her Night, they called her Rose,
She was so dark and sweet;
She gathered lovers as she chose,
And crushed them with her feet.
She was so dark and sweet;
She gathered lovers as she chose,
And crushed them with her feet.
They crowned her Queen of starless night,
She veiled her face by day;
But then they took a lesser light,
And basked in feebler sway.
She veiled her face by day;
But then they took a lesser light,
And basked in feebler sway.
They called her Night, they called her Rose,
She was so dark and sweet;
Her passions were as stormy throes,
When night and morning meet.
She was so dark and sweet;
Her passions were as stormy throes,
When night and morning meet.
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They brought her royal gifts of gold,
To sate her cruel lust;
She drew the treasures from their hold,
And scattered gems as dust,
To sate her cruel lust;
She drew the treasures from their hold,
And scattered gems as dust,
They called her Night, they called her Rose,
She was so dark and sweet;
She spoiled the splendour of her foes,
And made their necks her seat.
She was so dark and sweet;
She spoiled the splendour of her foes,
And made their necks her seat.
They offered her their limbs and lives,
She was not glutted still;
She haled their children and their wives,
And tortured them at will.
She was not glutted still;
She haled their children and their wives,
And tortured them at will.
They called her Night, they called her Rose,
She was so dark and sweet;
Her wrath was lightning to enclose,
And thunder to retreat.
She was so dark and sweet;
Her wrath was lightning to enclose,
And thunder to retreat.
They gave her service of their best,
Their thousands and their thrones;
She tore their babies from the breast,
And dashed them on the stones.
Their thousands and their thrones;
She tore their babies from the breast,
And dashed them on the stones.
They called her Night, they called her Rose,
She was so dark and sweet;
She fired the cities in their woes,
And warmed her in the heat.
She was so dark and sweet;
She fired the cities in their woes,
And warmed her in the heat.
They grovelled at her chariot wheels,
They kissed her foot and skirt;
She spurned them with her horses' heels,
And ground them in the dirt.
They kissed her foot and skirt;
She spurned them with her horses' heels,
And ground them in the dirt.
They called her Night, they called her Rose,
She was so dark and sweet;
From tempests, ills, and battle blows,
She came more fresh and fleet.
She was so dark and sweet;
From tempests, ills, and battle blows,
She came more fresh and fleet.
They bade her wring her bitter fill,
From every goodly lord;
She wreaked on all her lustful will,
Then cast them to the sword.
From every goodly lord;
She wreaked on all her lustful will,
Then cast them to the sword.
They called her Night, they called her Rose,
She was so dark and sweet;
She blazed her shame at public shows,
And murder was her meat.
She was so dark and sweet;
She blazed her shame at public shows,
And murder was her meat.
They paid her in the dearest kind,
With blood and sweat of men;
Some 'scaped her in her scornful mind,
Some fed the lion's den.
With blood and sweat of men;
Some 'scaped her in her scornful mind,
Some fed the lion's den.
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They called her Night, they called her Rose,
She was so dark and sweet;
'Twere sin her many crimes to gloze,
'Twere madness to repeat.
She was so dark and sweet;
'Twere sin her many crimes to gloze,
'Twere madness to repeat.
They drained the world by power and pelf,
To build their god a shrine;
She blackened women like herself,
She herded men as swine.
To build their god a shrine;
She blackened women like herself,
She herded men as swine.
They called her Night, they called her Rose,
She was so dark and sweet;
Her hatreds never knew repose,
And bridged the ocean's heat.
She was so dark and sweet;
Her hatreds never knew repose,
And bridged the ocean's heat.
They added to their lives their lands,
And dowered her with their all;
She lightly weighed it in her hands,
And held the tribute small.
And dowered her with their all;
She lightly weighed it in her hands,
And held the tribute small.
They called her Night, they called her Rose,
She was so dark and sweet;
What failed her empire to compose,
Her beauty to complete?
She was so dark and sweet;
What failed her empire to compose,
Her beauty to complete?
God mingled lightning with the gloom,
To make her perfect form;
He mixed the midnight's raven bloom,
With whirlwind, woes, and storm.
To make her perfect form;
He mixed the midnight's raven bloom,
With whirlwind, woes, and storm.
They called her Night, they called her Rose,
She was so dark and sweet;
Her bath was where the life-blood flows,
Her robe a winding-sheet.
She was so dark and sweet;
Her bath was where the life-blood flows,
Her robe a winding-sheet.
But still her passions were not gorged,
Though worlds her hunger met;
She came from racks her fury forged,
If wearied craving yet.
Though worlds her hunger met;
She came from racks her fury forged,
If wearied craving yet.
They called her Night, they called her Rose,
She was so dark and sweet;
But now her lust more dainty grows,
And vice is more discreet.
She was so dark and sweet;
But now her lust more dainty grows,
And vice is more discreet.
| 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition | |