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28
AESTAS
Ah, summer days and dreams and summer songPass lightly, lightly sleep and linger long
That I may watch, here where the long downs fall
The roses' red and yellow carnival,
And there with foam-lines ruffled by the breeze
Far out, the radiance of the dancing seas.
O pleasure thus to live and lie and be
A palpitating part of earth and sea,
As though I were a flower or useless weed,
Or some tall grass's light and floating seed,
Rejoicing only since the sun is bright,
And by the heat half-maddened to delight.
I could indeed, lying in the feathered grass,
Dream that I lay nigh some Arcadian pass
And heard dove's wings winnow the molten air,
While with hot fingers in my crispèd hair
Some long dark woman hot with lust and whims
Stretched at my side her wealth of naked limbs,
And I, her wet warm arms clasped close between,
With slow deep kisses lipped her sun-browned skin,
Her soft moist breasts and subtle amorous throat,
The while swart Pan upon his mellow oat
Fluted through rushes round him and above
The praise of youth and summer and light love.
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