Classic Poem

O Great kind Night,
Calm Titan-Woman Night!
Broad-bosomed, motherly, a comforter of men!
Reach out thy arms for me
And in thy jewelled hair
Hide thou my face and blind my aching eyes!

I hate the strumpet smile
Of Day! No peace hath she.
Draw thou me closer to thy veilèd face!
For thou art womanlike,
A lover and a mother,
And thou canst wrap me close and make me dream,
As one not cursed with light.
I shall forget my flesh,
This flesh that burns and aches
And fevers into hideous, shameless deeds!

And in the sweet blind hours
I shall seek out thy lips,
I shall dream sweetly of thy Titan form;
The languid majesty
Of smooth colossal limbs
At ease upon the hemisphere for couch!

And of thy veiled face
Sweet fancies I shall fashion;
Half lover-like I seek thee, yearning toward thee!
For I am sick of light,
Mine eyes ache, I am weary.

O Woman, Titan-Woman!
Though lesser ones forsake me,
Yet thou wilt share my couch when I am weary.
Thy fingers! Ah, thy fingers!
They touch me! Lift me closer,
Extinguish me amid thy jewelled tresses!

Thou wert the first great mother,
Shalt be the last fair woman:
White breasts of flesh grow cold, soft flesh lips wither:
O First and Ultimate,
O Night, thou Titan-Woman,
Thou wilt not fail me when these fall to dust!

The moon upon thy forehead!
The stars amid thy black locks!
Extinguish me upon thy breast, amid thy tresses!