Faintheart

Amid Arcady's sylvan groves(where once I gazed Upon such luminous and alabaster grace By her immortal beauty raptly drawn and dazed As she turned and gently upraised her elfin face. Like Aphrodite from the foam she rose and shone With eager rivulets caressing ev'ry curve Boldly her willing body yielded to the sun While capricious Eros' dart smote me deep with love. In that balmy dawn, birds all hushed in reverence, Her glistening charms held so deeply me in thrall Through the glade wafted her fluid fresh fragrance So that I could barely stifle my lovesick call. My satyr spirit begged me to Priapus play But Aidos bade me remain withdrawn and hidden If only I had known that this moment's delay Would my great good fortune diminish , unbidden. Then still she stayed,a startled fawn just before flight As her skittish glance strayed towards where I was stood 'Twas then Actaeon's fate rose before me with fright So I shrank e'er deeper into the shadowed wood Lest vengeful Artemis let loose her hounds of hate. But then coyly slipped away my shy shepherdess As I stayed in fear transfixed and saw much too late Her glide through the trees in her fluttering dress) I wander alone aye haunted by this vision While there fiercely burns in my heart a crippling ache From which there can be no respite nor remission That even Bethesda's waters would never slake. Even now that image I cannot forget Of her rising from the cool water In my heart there lingers deep regret For not addressing Aphrodite's daughter As she swept back her dewy golden hair Sparking within me an electric surge The cascading streams caressing her everywhere To animate me with a powerful Priapic urge