Page:Poet Lore, volume 34, 1923.djvu/647

 That holdeth occult sway o'er common woe, And all the infinite vanity of all things!

Thy image to my thoughts returns again, Aspasia. Sometimes I see it gleam On me from other faces in the crowd; Or in the lonely fields, beneath the sun Or silent stars, touched into startling life By Nature's harmonies, and stirring still My spirit deeply, on my heart there bursts The splendid vision of my faithless love. O how adored, ye gods! in what a store My torment, my delight! Nor can I breathe The perfumes o'er the flowery fields diffused, Nor scent the gardens by the city streets, That I recall thee not, as on that day When in thy home, in luxury embowered Amid the fragrant blossoms of the spring, Arrayed all in the dusky violet's hues, Thy form angelic to my sight was given; And it lazy languidly upon the furs, Surrounded by an air voluptuous; And thou, beguiler skillful, didst bestow Upon thy little children's curving lips Fervent, resounding kisses, revealing thus Thy snowy neck; and with thy fragile hands Pressed them, all innocent, close to thy breast, Veiled and desired. New heaven, new earth then broke Upon my soul, like to a ray divine. Thus in my side, not unresisting quite, Thy arm thrust deep the arrow that I bore Sorely lamenting, but all helplessly, Till twice the sun its annual course had spaced.

A ray divine unto my dazzled thought Appeared thy beauty, Lady. Even so Doth beauty and harmonious accords Each ope the mystery of the unknown Elysium, and he who loves is filled With phantom ecstasy of his sweet dream.