TO A MADONNA

 MADONNA, mistress, I would build for thee 
An altar deep in the sad soul of me; 
And in the darkest corner of my heart, 
From mortal hopes and mocking eyes apart, 
Carve of enamelled blue and gold a shrine 
For thee to stand erect in, Image divine! 
And with a mighty Crown thou shalt be crowned 
Wrought of the gold of my smooth Verse, set round 
With starry crystal rhymes; and I will make, 
O mortal maid, a Mantle for thy sake, 
And weave it of my jealousy, a gown 
Heavy, barbaric, stiff, and weighted down 
With my distrust, and broider round the hem 
Not pearls, but all my tears in place of them.
 
And then thy wavering, trembling robe shall be 
All the desires that rise and fall in me 
From mountain-peaks to valleys of repose, 
Kissing thy lovely body's white and rose.
 
For thy humiliated feet divine, 
Of my Respect I'll make thee Slippers fine 
Which, prisoning them within a gentle fold, 
Shall keep their imprint like a faithful mould.
 
And if my art, unwearying and discreet, 
Can make no Moon of Silver for thy feet 
To have for Footstool, then thy heel shall rest 
Upon the snake that gnaws within my breast, 
Victorious Queen of whom our hope is born! 
And thou shalt trample down and make a scorn 
Of the vile reptile swollen up with hate.
 
And thou shalt see my thoughts, all consecrate, 
Like candles set before thy flower-strewn shrine, 
O Queen of Virgins, and the taper-shine 
Shall glimmer star-like in the vault of blue, 
With eyes of flame for ever watching you.
 
While all the love and worship in my sense 
Will be sweet smoke of myrrh and frankincense.
 
Ceaselessly up to thee, white peak of snow, 
My stormy spirit will in vapours go! 

And last, to make thy drama all complete, 
That love and cruelty may mix and meet, 
I, thy remorseful torturer, will take 
All the Seven Deadly Sins, and from them make 
In darkest joy, Seven Knives, cruel-edged and keen, 
And like a juggler choosing, O my Queen, 
That spot profound whence love and mercy start, 
I'll plunge them all within thy panting heart!

Biography | Poems | Best Poems | Short Poems | Quotes | Email Poem |

Poems are below...