It was easy enough-- a thought called them from the sharp edges of the earth; they prayed for a touch, they cried for the sight of my face, they entreated me till in pity I turned each to his own self.
Panther and panther, then a black leopard follows close-- black panther and red and a great hound, a god-like beast, cut the sand in a clear ring and shut me from the earth, and cover the sea-sound with their throats, and the sea-roar with their own barks and bellowing and snarls, and the sea-stars and the swirl of the sand, and the rock-tamarisk and the wind resonance-- but not your voice.
It is easy enough to call men from the edges of the earth. It is easy enough to summon them to my feet with a thought-- it is beautiful to see the tall panther and the sleek deer-hounds circle in the dark.
It is easy enough to make cedar and white ash fumes into palaces and to cover the sea-caves with ivory and onyx.
But I would give up rock-fringes of coral and the inmost chamber of my island palace and my own gifts and the whole region of my power and magic for your glance.
Where the slow river meets the tide, a red swan lifts red wings and darker beak, and underneath the purple down of his soft breast uncurls his coral feet.
Through the deep purple of the dying heat of sun and mist, the level ray of sun-beam has caressed the lily with dark breast, and flecked with richer gold its golden crest.
Where the slow lifting of the tide, floats into the river and slowly drifts among the reeds, and lifts the yellow flags, he floats where tide and river meet.
Ah kingly kiss-- no more regret nor old deep memories to mar the bliss; where the low sedge is thick, the gold day-lily outspreads and rests beneath soft fluttering of red swan wings and the warm quivering of the red swan's breast.
I worship the greatest first-- (it were sweet, the couch, the brighter ripple of cloth over the dipped fleece; the thought: her bones under the flesh are white as sand which along a beach covers but keeps the print of the crescent shapes beneath: I thought: between cloth and fleece, so her body lies.)
I worship first, the great-- (ah, sweet, your eyes-- what God, invoked in Crete, gave them the gift to part as the Sidonian myrtle-flower suddenly, wide and swart, then swiftly, the eye-lids having provoked our hearts-- as suddenly beat and close.)