University of Virginia Library


40

[VIII
She moulded life, with hands subtle and wise,]

She moulded life, with hands subtle and wise,
Into the faultless fashion of a vase
Carved as of emerald or chrysoprase,
And bossed with mythic shapes of Paradise.
And brimmed it was with fire of sunset skies,
And deep sea-amethyst, and crystalline,
Calm starlight, all distilled into a wine
Clear and perturbed with splendour like her eyes.
And, as we slaked the thirst that gave no rest
By day or night, with solemn ecstasy
We knew such vineyards of the soul were pressed
To yield this very heart's-blood of our love,
That from our hands the cup, once drained thereof,
Must fall and shatter irretrievably.