XIII
Never, o never shall I call you bride!
Never, o never shall I draw you down
Unto my kisses by the dim bedside
Bathing my body in the choral crown,
Your comet hair! Nor smooth our shimmering skins
Each to the other and mount the sacred stair
Even from the lesser to the greater sins
Up to the throne where sits the royal and rare
Vision of Pan. O never shall I raise
This oriflamme, and lead the hope forlorn
Up to the ruining bloody breach, to daze
Death's self with pangs too blissful to be borne.
No! dear my maid. A maiden as you be
You may be all your lily life, for me.
Never, o never shall I draw you down
Unto my kisses by the dim bedside
Bathing my body in the choral crown,
Your comet hair! Nor smooth our shimmering skins
Each to the other and mount the sacred stair
Even from the lesser to the greater sins
Up to the throne where sits the royal and rare
Vision of Pan. O never shall I raise
This oriflamme, and lead the hope forlorn
Up to the ruining bloody breach, to daze
Death's self with pangs too blissful to be borne.
No! dear my maid. A maiden as you be
You may be all your lily life, for me.
— 31 —
