Night
Subtle and amorous
Lamia sings her love song on the evening
As is heard the alien, dubious song of the night bird
Or the purr of the lioness
In the dim, lambent dark
Or the soft disastrous word
Of murder
Following the extinguished spark
Into nothingness.
All while the subject of her languorous caress
Dreams darkly dreams
As voyaging Deathward, the transfigured Swan
Sings splendorous, sad things
Drifts deeply down and meets, with folded wings
The jeweled night
Or as the noon bright, desert sun dreams down
Into the smiling, upturned remanent of a face.
A Knife is beautiful, a jaguar
In motion is the embodiment of grace
And slowly in the quiet house in evening
I dream afar,
Seeking forbidden things on a black star
While, throatily Lamia sings
Her strange caress.
As strums the stirring croatali
As the leopardess doth sing,
As does the vulture, strident cry,
So does Lamia strum and sing and cry
As wanton as the setting of a star
In an ensanguined sea.
Dear dreadful dark,
Lean over me and press
The curtain of your awesome tenderness
Against my mind,
Mother of stars, the secret of your vast maternity
In the infinity
Of the deep scented terror of the night
As echoes long
Lamia’s doubtful song.
