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waves broke merrily Rose jets and sprays of melody And leapt and
laughed again。
II MOONLIGHT
We stood among the boats and nets 。 。 。 We marked the risen moon
Walk swaying o'er the trembling seas As one sways in a swoon；
The little stars； the lonely stars； Stole through the hollow sky； And
every sucking eddy where The waves lapped wharf or rotten stair Moaned
like some stricken thing hid there And strangled with its own despair
As the shuddering tide crept by。
I loved her； and I hated her Or did I hate myself because；
Bound by obscure； strong； silken laws； I felt myself the worshiper Of
beauty never wholly mine？ With lures most apt to snare； entwine； With
bonds too subtle to define； Her lighter nature mastered mine； Herself half
given； half withheld； Her lesser spirit still compelled Its tribute from my
franker soul： Sorebel； slave； and worshiper！ I loved her and I
hated her。
I gazed upon her； I； her thrall； And musing； murmured； What if
death
Were just the answer to it all？ Suppose some dainty dagger
quaffed Her life in one deep eager draught？ Suppose some amorous
knife caressed The lovely hollow of her breast？〃 She turned a mocking
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look to mine： She read the thought within my eyne； She held me with
her lookand laughed！
Now who may tell what stirs； controls； And shapes mad fancies into
facts？ What trivial things may quicken souls To irrevocable； swift acts？
Now who has known； who understood； Wherefore some idle thing
May stab with deadlier sting Than well…considered insult could？ May
spur the languor of a mood And rouse a tiger in the blood？
Ah； Christ！had she not laughed just when That fancy came！ 。 。 。 for
then 。 。 。 and then 。 。 。 A sudden mist dropped from the sky；
A mist swept in across the sea 。 。 。 A mist that hid her face from me 。 。 。
A weeping mist all tinged with red； A dripping mist that smelt like
blood 。 。 。 It choked my throat； it burnt my brain 。 。 。 And through it
peered one sallow star； And through it rang one shriek of pain 。 。 。 And
when it passed my hands were red； My soul was dabbled with her
blood； And when it passed my love was dead And tossed upon the
troubled flood。
III MOONSET
But see！ 。 。 。 the body does not sink； It rides upon the tide （A
starbeam on the dagger's haft）； With staring eyes and wide 。 。 。 And now；
up from the darkling sea； Down from the failing moon； Are come
strange shapes to mock at me 。 。 。 All pallid from the star…pale sea；
White from the paling moon 。 。 。
Or whirling fast or wheeling slow Around； around the corpse they go；
All bloodless o'er the sickened sea Beneath the ailing moon！
And are they only wisps of fog That dance along the waves？ Only
shapes of mist the wind Drives along the waves？ Or are they spirits that
the sea Has cheated of their graves？ The ghosts of them that died at sea；
Of murdered men flung in the sea； Whose bodies had no graves？ Lost
souls that haunt for evermore The sobbing reef and hollowed shore And
always…murmuring caves？
Ah； surely something more than fog； More than starlit mist！ For
starlight never makes a sound And fogs are ever whist But hearken；
hearken； hearken； now； For these sing as they dance！
As airily； as eerily； They wheel about and whirl； They jeer at me；
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they fleer at me； They flout me as they swirl！ As whirling fast or
swaying slow； Reeling； wheeling； to and fro； Around； around the corpse
they go； They chill me with their chants！ These be neither men nor
mists Hearken to their chants：
Ever； ever； ever； Drifting like a blossom Seaward； with the starlight
Wan upon her bosom Ever when the quickened Heart of night is
throbbing； Ever when the trembling Tide sets seaward； sobbing； Shall
you see this burden Borne upon its ebbing： See her drifting seaward
Like a broken blossom；
Ever see the starlight Kiss her bruised bosom。
Flight availeth nothing 。 。 。 Still the subtle beaches Draw you back
where Horror Walks their shingled reaches 。 。 。 Ever shall your spirit
Hear the surf resounding； Evermore the ocean Thwarting you and
bounding； Vainly struggle inland！ Lashing you and hounding； Still the
vision hales you From the upland reaches； Goading you and gripping；
Binds you to the beaches！
Ever； ever； ever； Ever shall her laughter； Hunting you and haunting；
Mock and follow after； Rising where the buoy…bell Clangs across the
shallows；
Leaping where the spindrift Hurtles o'er the hollows； Ringing
where the moonlight Gleams along the billows； Ever； ever； ever；
Ever shall her laughter； Hounding you and haunting； Whip and follow
after！
IV SUNSET
I stood among the boats The sinking sun； the angry sun； Across the
sullen wave Laid the sudden strength of his red wrath Like to a shaken
glaive： Or did the sun pause in the west To lift a sword at me； Or
was it she； or was it she； Rose for an instant on some crest And plucked
the red blade from her breast And brandished it at me？
THE TAVERN OF DESPAIR
THE wraiths of murdered hopes and loves Come whispering at the
door； Come creeping through the weeping mist That drapes the barren
moor； But we within have turned the key 'Gainst Hope and Love and
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Care； Where Wit keeps tryst with Folly； at The Tavern of Despair。
And we have come by divers ways To keep this merry tryst；