APHRODITE ENOIKIA
You shattered his restless, unsatisfied peace;
Yours was the hand to madden his brow,
Yours were the lips to melt in his,
Promising, yielding ecstasies.
Yours was the breast to pillow his cheek,
Yours was the spark to fire his soul,
Until the seeker had found his goal,
Until the strong was humble and weak.
Large and ample-bodied and dear,
You gave to love yourself and him;
There is no higher rapture here,
Nor where man's heavens fade and dim.
Yours was the hand to madden his brow,
Yours were the lips to melt in his,
Promising, yielding ecstasies.
Yours was the breast to pillow his cheek,
Yours was the spark to fire his soul,
Until the seeker had found his goal,
Until the strong was humble and weak.
Large and ample-bodied and dear,
You gave to love yourself and him;
There is no higher rapture here,
Nor where man's heavens fade and dim.
Then, when you left him, desolate grief
Found in his song some thin relief.
Then he visioned you born in spray,
Out of the russet-pale sea-way.
But his arms still stung from the broken clasp,
His lips were red with no trodden wine;
And his body had held within its grasp
What now he called divine.
Found in his song some thin relief.
Then he visioned you born in spray,
Out of the russet-pale sea-way.
But his arms still stung from the broken clasp,
His lips were red with no trodden wine;
And his body had held within its grasp
What now he called divine.
The song was sweet within your ear,
When back to the havening clasp you came;
But most he sang for himself to hear,
When back to the havening clasp you came;
But most he sang for himself to hear,
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