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112
THE VINE
God set the Vine in favoured lands to make
Man's heart rejoice—the Scripture so doth tell
Clearly. He bade the engendering sunlight's spell
Work in its blood, till on the fruitage take
Hues of warm gold, luscious, and ripe to awake
In mortals appetite for generous mirth,
Stirring the imagination quick to birth,
Or from spent hearts dispersing fretful ache.
Man's heart rejoice—the Scripture so doth tell
Clearly. He bade the engendering sunlight's spell
Work in its blood, till on the fruitage take
Hues of warm gold, luscious, and ripe to awake
In mortals appetite for generous mirth,
Stirring the imagination quick to birth,
Or from spent hearts dispersing fretful ache.
And what if to-day in age emasculate
Folly aping Virtue would this gift decry,
And call it Temperance? Go to, then, fly
From Love, that so oft Lust, see, doth desecrate,
To whelm full many a soul in foul estate,
Vaunting thy vain affront for Chastity!
Folly aping Virtue would this gift decry,
And call it Temperance? Go to, then, fly
From Love, that so oft Lust, see, doth desecrate,
To whelm full many a soul in foul estate,
Vaunting thy vain affront for Chastity!
August 14th, 1923.
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