E. M.

“ Among the roses and lilies
Stands my azure princess
Lo! there in the Garden of Sleep.
Midst the trembling narcissus and cadmium dillies
Midst the daf-o-down-dilies
Glides my faëry princess
In her gold-azure dress. [11]
Veridian the foliage packed heavy in creepers,
Olive the pine tree with sap-oozing cones;
Each rustling leaf bestirring the sleepers,
The brown buzzing bees and the resonant drones.
Dreaming with legs all bespattered with pollen;
—The passionate kiss of a love giving flower—
While velvety moths in flight silent and solemn,
Creep dreamily forth from each scent-giving bower ”

“ Cool as the shadows that lie in the dress
Of my peerless princess;
Blue and crystal the bronzen bowl, reflecting the vault above
Sapphire and crystal the red bronze bowl, reflecting the face of my love
Red and gold the glittering carp that sport in the waters below
Ruby and gold the shimmering carp—the hues of a sunset glow. [13]
White, ivory-white, and golden green are the lights that fall from the lilies
Golden-orange and orange-green, the shades of the daf-o-down-dilies. ”

“ Fiercer in Morning Sun than in turgid hues of Night
Calcined and adust, parching my thirsting sight
Thy welcome form appears,
Grief-giving while it cheers. [8]
Bridget! Unreal! Dead phantom of a form
Yet living, breathing—sneering, wreathed in olive scorn
Haunt not my seered soul pierced by thy secret sting;
Death to a pulsing throb, Life to a pulseless thing! ”