Balcony

 MOTHER of memories, mistress of mistresses, 
O thou, my pleasure, thou, all my desire, 
Thou shalt recall the beauty of caresses, 
The charm of evenings by the gentle fire, 
Mother of memories, mistress of mistresses! 

The eves illumined by the burning coal, 
The balcony where veiled rose-vapour clings-- 
How soft your breast was then, how sweet your soul! 
Ah, and we said imperishable things, 
Those eves illumined by the burning coal. 

Lovely the suns were in those twilights warm, 
And space profound, and strong life's pulsing flood, 
In bending o'er you, queen of every charm, 
I thought I breathed the perfume in your blood. 
The suns were beauteous in those twilights warm. 

The film of night flowed round and over us, 
And my eyes in the dark did your eyes meet; 
I drank your breath, ah! sweet and poisonous, 
And in my hands fraternal slept your feet-- 
Night, like a film, flowed round and over us. 

I can recall those happy days forgot, 
And see, with head bowed on your knees, my past. 
Your languid beauties now would move me not 
Did not your gentle heart and body cast 
The old spell of those happy days forgot. 

Can vows and perfumes, kisses infinite, 
Be reborn from the gulf we cannot sound; 
As rise to heaven suns once again made bright 
After being plunged in deep seas and profound? 
Ah, vows and perfumes, kisses infinite!

Form: Quintain Comments

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bennett Avatar
September 14, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Hello! I really enjoyed your poetry. I could easily imagine following the poem visually, with each stanza becoming a continuation of the previous scene rather than treating them as separate moments. I’m a commission artist specializing in visual storytelling from written ideas, and I’d love to explore that kind of stanza-by-stanza visual continuation with one of your poems, keeping the progression and emotional flow of your original writing intact. No pressure at all, I simply thought the concept could fit your writing beautifully. Discord: eve_verse Email: [email protected]
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