Page:An epic of women and other poems (IA epicofwomenother00osha).pdf/93

Full of unearthly shadows in the night,
  He came upon those lovers unaware;
And fairly caught them locked in their delight:
  Limb over limb he bound them in a snare.

For first with all his craft he did invent
  A curious toil of meshes, strongly set
With supple fibrous thread and branches bent:
  Full tightly they were bounden in that net.

Yet, not until with many a growing gray
  And change that wrought among the shifting shade,
Day—softly changing all things—warned away
  Their loves and sins, knew they the fate they had.

And when they were but striving to undo
  Delicious bonds of love that needs no chain,
Then were they held:—though love had let them go
  A stronger bond than love's bade them remain.

And, spite of many a throe of sudden strength,
  And all their tortuous striving to be free;
Yea, they were held:—till the sun came at length,
  And all the gods came out of heaven to see.