FOUL is she and ill-favoured, set askew: Gaze not upon her till thou dream her fair, Lest she should mesh thee in her wanton hair, Adept in arts grown old yet ever new. Her heart lusts not for love, but thro' and thro' For blood, as spotted panther lusts in lair; No wine is in her cup, but filth is there Unutterable, with plagues hid out of view. Gaze not upon her, for her dancing whirl Turns giddy the fixed gazer presently: Gaze not upon her, lest thou be as she When, at the far end of her long desire, Her scarlet vest and gold and gem and pearl And she amid her pomp are set on fire. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE VALLEY'S SINGING DAY by ROBERT FROST TO LUCASTA, [ON] GOING TO THE WARS by RICHARD LOVELACE A LETTER FROM A GIRL TO HER OWN OLD AGE by ALICE MEYNELL FAREWELL TO ARMS by GEORGE PEELE ARMY CORRESPONDENT'S LAST RIDE; FIVE FORKS, APRIL 1, 1865 by GEORGE ALFRED TOWNSEND DOVE RIVER ANTHOLOGY, BY OWN WILLIAM WORDSWORTH: LUCY GRAY by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS |