Page:An epic of women and other poems (IA epicofwomenother00osha).pdf/123

Her sweet arms were unfolded on the air,
They seemed like floating flowers the most fair—
  White lilies the most choice;
And in the gradual bending of her hand
There lurked a grace that no man could withstand;
Yea, none knew whether hands, or feet, or voice,
  Most made his heart rejoice.

The veils fell round her like thin coiling mists
Shot through by topaz suns, and amethysts,
  And rubies she had on;
And out of them her jewelled body came,
And seemed to all quite like a slender flame
That curled and glided, and that burnt and shone
  Most fair to look upon.

Then she began, on that well-polished floor,
Whose stones seemed taking radiance more and more
  From steps too bright to see,
A certain measure that was like some spell
Of winding magic, wherein heaven and hell
Were joined to lull men's souls eternally
  In some mid ecstasy: