Explore "The Lust of the World" by Madison Cawein on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
/ Since Man first lifted up his eyes to hers / And saw her vampire beauty, which is lust, / All else is dust / Within the compass of the universe.
/ With heart of Jael and with face of Ruth / She sits upon the tomb of Time and quaffs / Heart's blood and laughs / At all Life calls most noble and the truth.
/ The fire of conquest and the wine of dreams / Are in her veins; and in her eyes the lure / Of things unsure, / Urging the world forever to extremes.
/ Without her, Life would stagnate in a while. -- / Her touch it is puts pleasure even in pain. -- / So Life attain / Her end, she cares not if the means be vile.
/ She knows no pity, mercy, or remorse. -- / Hers is to build and then exterminate: / To slay, create, / And twixt the two maintain an equal course.