FRAGOLETTA
70 lines✦
Love! what shall be said of thee?The son of grief begot by joy?Being sightless, wilt thou see?Being sexless, wilt thou beMaiden or boy? I dreamed of strange lips yesterdayAnd cheeks wherein the ambiguous bloodWas like a rose's--yea,A rose's when it layWithin the bud. What fields have bred thee, or what grovesConcealed thee, O mysterious flower,O double rose of Love's,With leaves that lure the dovesFrom bud to bower? I dare not kiss it, lest my lipPress harder than an indrawn breath,And all the sweet life slipForth, and the sweet leaves drip,Bloodlike, in death. O sole desire of my delight!O sole delight of my desire!Mine eyelids and eyesightFeed on thee day and nightLike lips of fire. Lean back thy throat of carven pearl,Let thy mouth murmur like the dove's;Say, Venus hath no girl,No front of female curl,Among her Loves. Thy sweet low bosom, thy close hair,Thy strait soft flanks and slenderer feet,Thy virginal strange air,Are these not over fairFor Love to greet? How should he greet thee? what new name,Fit to move all men's hearts, could moveThee, deaf to love or shame,Love's sister, by the sameMother as Love? Ah sweet, the maiden's mouth is cold,Her breast-blossoms are simply red,Her hair mere brown or gold,Fold over simple foldBinding her head. Thy mouth is made of fire and wine,Thy barren bosom takes my kissAnd turns my soul to thineAnd turns thy lip to mine,And mine it is. Thou hast a serpent in thine hair,In all the curls that close and cling;And ah, thy breast-flower!Ah love, thy mouth too fairTo kiss and sting! Cleave to me, love me, kiss mine eyes,Satiate thy lips with loving me;Nay, for thou shalt not rise;Lie still as Love that diesFor love of thee. Mine arms are close about thine head,My lips are fervent on thy face,And where my kiss hath fedThy flower-like blood leaps redTo the kissed place. O bitterness of things too sweet!O broken singing of the dove!Love's wings are over fleet,And like the panther's feetThe feet of Love.
✦