Classic Poem

XXXIII

He heard an angel say now look for love , and look
For lust ning city of his heart replied.
And the angel, whom his heart had life-time-long denied,
In silence stood apart and watched him while he took
The scarlet and the sceptre and the crown of pride, —
Calling for the masquerade and music of his minions, —
Calling for the loves whose murdered eyes had left him wise
With phantasies of flesh in wind-bewailed dominions.

Their tongues were guttering lights; their songs were sated revels;
Their mimicries that sank to whispers and withdrew
Were couriers of corruption. Mocked and maimed he knew,
For scrawls on dungeon walls his priapismic devils.

He woke; the sceptre broke; and cast away the crown;
Fought blindly with the strangling of the scarlet gown;
Cried out on hell and heaven, and saw the burning-bright
Angel with eyes inexorable and wings, once white
For mercy, now by storming judgment backward blown;
Saw absolution changed to unrelenting stone;
Shrieked; and aghast his ghost from flesh was whirled away
On roaring gales of gloom. . . . He heard an angel say . . .