War of Lilies and of Roses (On the Rape of Lucrece)

WAR OF LILIES AND OF ROSES Lilies white, blushing with red roses sweet A lily-rose fair, unstained, Rome's virtuous Lucrece Of beauty so strong, even in desire, men doth retreat. Sextus Tarquinius vile with the lust that men enclose Defiant, would defile, such a flawless rose Unable to repose his swelling desire Enraged by her beauty, to merely admire Nympholeptic he, to acquire Lucrece of the rose rubbed cheeks and lily white face In lust Sextus Tarquinius wist wilt and debase And force open lily white thighs deified he defiled she To wrench such peddles enclosed Ravaging such a sacred lily, rose eros sore bled Till white stained red, both thigh and bed Leaving such a sweet flower torn, alive So, polluted, no longer chaste, she with dagger neat Did drive sharp between her bosom's blossom, sweet Which did anoint red the sheet Roses spilled; lilies retreat. Death be sweet and release Rome's sweet Lucrece Finishing Line Press. Book FAREWELL TO THE DUST, by C. S. Leaf avalible March 2008 www.FinishingLinePress.com