SATANELLA
(Excerpts)
As within a castle’s ruins
Steals a full moon’s shining ray;
As within a forest’s shadows
Colored butterfly has strayed,
As within a rusty goblet
Falls a drop of golden wine;
Thus within my saddened bosom
And within my orphand heart
Gleamed a ray of love eternal,
Strayed a butterfly of dreams,
Fell a droplet of my musing;
Tell me, is there aught yet needed
To complete this song of mine? . . .
****
Roderigo Gonvazales,
Knight of the Johannite order,
Wandered on his morning vigil
As had been his daily custom;
For the Isle of Rhodes was a
Bulwark of the Christian nations
Against the Godless Turkish heathen.
As he left the castle portals
He beheld a barefoot child there
Leaning ’gainst the massive entrance.
Tender body as if breathed
In a gaily colored bodice,
And her black hair hast’ly gathered
Underneath a snow-white kerchief.
Soon as Roderigo reached her,
Smilingly she lifted towards him
Eyes that burned as sparks of fire,
And she handed him a flow’ret,
Mountain flowers strangely scented,
Tied together with white ribbons.
Roderigo smiled in greeting,
Kissed the gaily colored blossoms,
Leaning over till his curls
Lightly touched upon her forehead,
From his lips escaped a question
As the scent escapes from flowers:
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