INITIUM AMORIS.
1
With sun-kissed face, and body flaming red,
Down through his luscious Eden Adam went,
And while his foot crushed out a cloud of scent,
He sighed aloud, and to himself he said:
“O summer garden with soft fruitage fed,
Hast thou no solace for my tired intent?
Here in my heart unknown desires are pent
That find no respite in your blossom-bed!”
With that the curled hair set about his mouth
Moved, and his warm face, burning, flushed anew;
Above his head his bare brown arms he threw,
And, moaning with the urgent inward drouth,
Paced wearily the sultry garden through,
And sank beneath a cedar in the sough.
2
There in the evening while he slept, God came
And breathed a dream into his closèd eyes;
Adown a long decline of opal skies
He looked through vistaëd woodlands of no name,
Then out of one small silver bough like flame
Two bell-shaped fruits rose ripe, pomegranate-wise,
While all the glade was ringing with sweet sighs,
And slumber made unquiet passion tame.
He woke, a sharp pain clinging to his side,
When night was drifting through the slim palm-wands,
But through the dusk of those divine dim lands
A rose-warm flush came flooding far and wide,
And cool and fresh within his burning hands
He felt the fruit worth all the world beside.
