 | The Triumph of Music and Other Lyrics |  |
55
THE MONASTERY CROFT.
1
Big-stomached, like friarsWho ogle a nun,
Quaff deep to their bellies' desires
From the old abbey's tun,
Grapes fatten with fires
Warm-filtered from moon and from sun.
2
As a novice who muses,—Lips a rosary tell,
While her thoughts are—a love she refuses?
—Nay! mourns as not well:
The ripe apple looses
Its holding to rot where it fell.
56
SHADOWS.
1
Ha! help!—'twas palpable!A ghost that thronged
Up from the mind or hell
Of one I wronged!
2
'Tis past and—silence!—naught!—A vision born
Of the scared mind o'erwrought
With dreams forlorn:
3
The bastard brood of DeathAnd Sleep that wakes
Grim fancies with its breath,
And reason shakes.
57
4
Would that the grave could rotLike flesh the soul,
Gnaw through with worms and not
Leave it thus whole,
5
More than it was in earthBeyond the grave,
Much more in death than birth
To conscience slave!
58
CHECK AND COUNTER-CHECK.
1
Vent all your coward's wrathUpon me so!—
Yes, I have crossed your path
And will not go!
2
Storm at me hate, and nameMe all that's vile,
“Lust,” “filth,” “disease,” and “shame,”
I only smile.
3
Me brute rage can not hurt,It only flings
In your own eyes blind dirt
That bites and stings.
59
4
Rave at your like such whine,Your fellow-men,
This wrath!—great God! and mine!—
What is it then?
5
No words! no oaths! such hateAs devils smile
When raw success cries “wait!”
And “afterwhile!”
6
A woman I and ill,A courtesan
You wearied of, would kill,
And you—a man!
7
You, you—unnamable!A thing there's not,
Too base to burn in Hell,
Too vile to rot.
60
SEMPER IDEM.
1
Hold up thy head and crushThy heart's despair;
From thy wan temples brush
The tear-wet hair.
2
Look on me thus as IGaze upon thee;
Nor question how nor why
Such things can be.
3
Thou thought'st it love!—poor fool!That which was lust!
Which made thee, beautiful,
Vile as the dust!
61
4
Thy flesh I craved, thy face!—Love shrinks at this—
Now on thy lips to place
One farewell kiss!—
5
Weep not, but die!—'tis given—And so—farewell!—
Die!—that which makes death heaven,
Makes life a hell.
62
TWO LIVES.
1
“There is no God,” one said,
And love is lust;
When I am dead I'm dead,
And all is dust.
And love is lust;
When I am dead I'm dead,
And all is dust.
“Be merry while you can
Before you're gray;
With some wild courtesan
Drink care away.”
Before you're gray;
With some wild courtesan
Drink care away.”
2
One said, “A God there is,
And God is love;
Death is not death, but bliss,
And life above.
And God is love;
Death is not death, but bliss,
And life above.
“Above all flesh is mind;
And faith and truth
God's gifts to poor mankind
That make life youth.”
And faith and truth
God's gifts to poor mankind
That make life youth.”
63
3
One from a harlot's side
Arose at morn;
One cursing God had died
That night forlorn.
Arose at morn;
One cursing God had died
That night forlorn.
64
TO ---.
“Lydia, dic, per omnes
Te deos oro!”
Te deos oro!”
I
What are the subtletiesWhich woo me in her eyes
To oaths she deems but lies,
I can not tell, I can not tell,
Nor will she.
They are beyond my thought,
For when I gaze I'm nought,
My senses all unwrought,
It is not well, it is not well,
Now Lily!
II
What is the magic sweetWhich makes hot pulses beat,
A wayward tongue repeat
A name for weeks, a name for weeks
Will, nill he?
154
Falls sweetly on the brain
Like some slow sunny rain,
Whene'er she speaks, whene'er she speaks
This Lily.
III
What is the witchery rareWhich snares me in her hair
So deeply that I dare,
I dare not move, I dare not move,—
Lie stilly?
In looks and winning ways
The bloom of love she lays
Like fire on all my days,
And makes me love, and makes me love
This Lily.
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