Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A MIDNIGHT SERENADE FOR HER PERFUMED MAJESTY (AN ENCORE), by ANGELO DE LUCA


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A MIDNIGHT SERENADE FOR HER PERFUMED MAJESTY (AN ENCORE), by                    
First Line: Oh, I died many deaths throughout that day
Last Line: I blew my candle, and I went to bed.
Subject(s): Love - Loss Of; Singing & Singers; Songs


Oh, I died many deaths throughout that day,
But I had died a million deaths before;
For all days are to do the payman's bid,
And night is watchman of my sacred door.
The day had somehow passed, and evening
Had served Milady to her mild delight:
She brought my jug, my pen, and she retired,
And I drank to the freedom of the night.

I do not know: was it to-night? or yet
Some yester-night ten thousand years ago?
I drank, and drinking dreamed of love and you,
That you had heard my rhymes, and answered No!
But pleading that you could not yet appraise
The nature of the love I brought to you,
I tore my little bunch of feeble rhymes,
And sang and penned my serenade anew:

I sang: "Oh, bring not eager lips to me,
But mocking lips, that dare me and defy;
And eyes a challenge to my potency,
That ask what sort of bungler am I:
And I will draw you close, and almost kiss,
And set my defiance against your own;
And dare you, if my strength cannot suffice,
To bear your love upon your strength alone."

There came the phantom of a younger love,
And said, "You fool! do you again seek love?
You perished as love's sorry youngling once,
Is not love's sorrow once trouble enough?"
"Trouble enough! but love was younger then,
And love, full grown, what force can satiate?
Surely not love, for love in essence is
The substance of a subtle sinful hate."

The phantom left, and there I sat and sang,
I hated, loved, and penned my serenade;
And in my vision almost kissed again,
And on my scroll these amorous tunes we played.
The heated passion calm and pensive grew,
The burning pain left cool again my head:
My song was sung, my pen was dry again;
I blew my candle, and I went to bed.





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