Explore "The World's Desire" by Madison Cawein on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
/ The roses of voluptuousness / Wreathe her dark locks and hide her eyes; / Her limbs are flower-like nakedness, / Wherethrough the fragrant blood doth press, / The blossom-blood of Paradise.
/ She stands with Lilith finger tips, / With Lilith hands; and gathers up / The wild wine of all life; and sips / With Lilith-laughter-lightened lips / The soul as from a crystal cup.
/ What though she cast the cup away! / The empty bowl that flashed with wine! / Her curled lips' kiss, that stained the clay, / Her fingers' touch -- shall not these stay, / That made its nothingness divine?
/ Through one again shall live the glow, / Immortalizing, of her touch; / And through the other, sweet to know / How life swept flame once 'neath the snow / Of her mooned breasts, -- and this is much!