I WILL give you all my keys, You shall be my châtelaine, You shall enter as you please, As you please shall go again. When I hear you jingling through All the chambers of my soul, How I sit and laugh at you In your vain housekeeping rôle. Jealous of the smallest cover, Angry at the simpler door; Well, you anxious, inquisitive lover, Are you pleased with what's in store? You have fingered all my treasures, Have you not, most curiously, Handled all my tools and measures And masculine machinery? Over every single beauty You have had your little rapture; You have slain, as was your duty, Every sin-mouse you could capture. Still you are not satisfied, Still you tremble faint reproach; Challenge me I keep aside Secrets that you may not broach. Maybe yes, and maybe no, Maybe there are secret places, Altars barbarous below, Elsewhere halls of high disgraces. Maybe yes, and maybe no, You may have it as you please, Since I choose to keep you so, Suppliant on your curious knees. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...DOMESDAY BOOK: ARCHIBALD LOWELL by EDGAR LEE MASTERS TO A WEALTHY MAN by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS NEVER TOO LATE: THE PALMER'S ODE by ROBERT GREENE JOAN OF ARC IN RHEIMS by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS THE SOLDIER by GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS ON THE UNIVERSITY CARRIER by JOHN MILTON |