Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE HOUSE OF LIFE: 6. THE KISS, by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI


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THE HOUSE OF LIFE: 6. THE KISS, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: What smouldering senses in death's sick delay
Last Line: Fire within fire, desire in deity.
Alternate Author Name(s): Rossetti, Gabriel Charles Dante
Subject(s): Kisses


WHAT smouldering senses in death's sick delay
Or seizure of malign vicissitude
Can rob this body of honour, or denude
This soul of wedding-raiment worn to-day?
For lo! even now my lady's lips did play
With these my lips such consonant interlude
As laurelled Orpheus longed for when he wooed
The half-drawn hungering face with that last lay.

I was a child beneath her touch,--a man
When breast to breast we clung, even I and she,--
A spirit when her spirit looked through me,--
A god when all our life-breath met to fan
Our life-blood, till love's emulous ardors ran,
Fire within fire, desire in deity.





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