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151
AMATHEA.
I gazed into her deep, dark eyes:
Gazed down, I thought, into her soul:
And my heart leapt with glad surprise
As through their limpid darkness stole
Gazed down, I thought, into her soul:
And my heart leapt with glad surprise
As through their limpid darkness stole
A starry radiance—like the gleam
Of Hesper, when at blush of even
Fond Psyche first in raptured dream
Clasped her young Eros fresh from heaven.
Of Hesper, when at blush of even
Fond Psyche first in raptured dream
Clasped her young Eros fresh from heaven.
I took the glowing hand that played
In dusky tangles of her hair;
I drew her closer—half afraid
Her form would melt in rosy air.
In dusky tangles of her hair;
I drew her closer—half afraid
Her form would melt in rosy air.
152
You love me, O my queen!—I cried.
She stared with wide eyes, cold and dead;
Then with a low, soft laugh of pride,
Turned from me.—I arose and fled,
She stared with wide eyes, cold and dead;
Then with a low, soft laugh of pride,
Turned from me.—I arose and fled,
In wrath and shame.—The dawning light
Of love that in those dark eyes shone,
With such sweet presage of delight—
Was but the reflex of my own!
Of love that in those dark eyes shone,
With such sweet presage of delight—
Was but the reflex of my own!
Yet still their baleful splendour burns
To lure me, moth-like, as of yore:
I hate,—and love, alas! by turns;
But they shall fool me never more!
To lure me, moth-like, as of yore:
I hate,—and love, alas! by turns;
But they shall fool me never more!
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