Since Man first lifted up his eyes to hers And saw her vampire beauty, which is lust, All else is dust Within the compass of the universe. With heart of Jael and with face of Ruth She sits upon the tomb of Time and quaffs Heart's blood and laughs At all Life calls most noble and the truth. The fire of conquest and the wine of dreams Are in her veins; and in her eyes the lure Of things unsure, Urging the world forever to extremes. Without her, Life would stagnate in a while. -- Her touch it is puts pleasure even in pain. -- So Life attain Her end, she cares not if the means be vile. She knows no pity, mercy, or remorse. -- Hers is to build and then exterminate: To slay, create, And twixt the two maintain an equal course. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE NILE by JAMES HENRY LEIGH HUNT FIRST FRUITS IN 1812 [AUGUST 19, 1812] by WALLACE RICE LUCY (4) by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH ODES: BOOK 1: ODE 3. TO A FRIEND UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOVE by MARK AKENSIDE TO ANACREON by ANTIPATER OF SIDON THE MODERN JUDAS by HARRY RANDOLPH BLYTHE HE WONDERS WHETHER TO PRAISE OR TO BLAME HER by RUPERT BROOKE |