Poem: The Sphinx

(To Marcel Schwob in friendship and in admiration)

In a dim corner of my room for longer than

my fancy thinks

A beautiful and silent Sphinx has watched me

上海龙凤shlf最新地址through the shifting gloom.

Inviolate and immobile she does not rise she

does not stir

上海龙凤shlf最新地址For silver moons are naught to her and naught

上海龙凤shlf最新地址to her the suns that reel.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Red follows grey across the air, the waves of

moonlight ebb and flow

But with the Dawn she does not go and in the

night-time she is there.

Dawn follows Dawn and Nights grow old and

all the while this curious cat

Lies couching on the Chinese mat with eyes of

satin rimmed with gold.

Upon the mat she lies and leers and on the

tawny throat of her

Flutters the soft and silky fur or ripples to her

pointed ears.

Come forth, my lovely seneschal! so somnolent,

so statuesque!

Come forth you exquisite grotesque! half woman

and half animal!

Come forth my lovely languorous Sphinx! and

put your head upon my knee!

And let me stroke your throat and see your

上海龙凤shlf最新地址body spotted like the Lynx!

And let me touch those curving claws of yellow

ivory and grasp

The tail that like a monstrous Asp coils round

your heavy velvet paws!

上海龙凤shlf最新地址A thousand weary centuries are thine

while I have hardly seen

Some twenty summers cast their green for

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Autumn's gaudy liveries.

But you can read the Hieroglyphs on the

great sandstone obelisks,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And you have talked with Basilisks, and you

have looked on Hippogriffs.

O tell me, were you standing by when Isis to

Osiris knelt?

And did you watch the Egyptian melt her union

for Antony

And drink the jewel-drunken wine and bend

her head in mimic awe

To see the huge proconsul draw the salted tunny

上海龙凤shlf最新地址from the brine?

And did you mark the Cyprian kiss white Adon

on his catafalque?

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And did you follow Amenalk, the God of

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Heliopolis?

And did you talk with Thoth, and did you hear

上海龙凤shlf最新地址the moon-horned Io weep?

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And know the painted kings who sleep beneath

上海龙凤shlf最新地址the wedge-shaped Pyramid?

Lift up your large black satin eyes which are

上海龙凤shlf最新地址like cushions where one sinks!

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Fawn at my feet, fantastic Sphinx! and sing me

上海龙凤shlf最新地址all your memories!

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Sing to me of the Jewish maid who wandered

上海龙凤shlf最新地址with the Holy Child,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And how you led them through the wild, and

上海龙凤shlf最新地址how they slept beneath your shade.

Sing to me of that odorous green eve when

上海龙凤shlf最新地址crouching by the marge

You heard from Adrian's gilded barge the

laughter of Antinous

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And lapped the stream and fed your drouth and

上海龙凤shlf最新地址watched with hot and hungry stare

The ivory body of that rare young slave with

his pomegranate mouth!

Sing to me of the Labyrinth in which the twi-

formed bull was stalled!

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Sing to me of the night you crawled across the

temple's granite plinth

When through the purple corridors the screaming

scarlet Ibis flew

In terror, and a horrid dew dripped from the

上海龙凤shlf最新地址moaning Mandragores,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And the great torpid crocodile within the tank

上海龙凤shlf最新地址shed slimy tears,

And tare the jewels from his ears and staggered

上海龙凤shlf最新地址back into the Nile,

And the priests cursed you with shrill psalms as

上海龙凤shlf最新地址in your claws you seized their snake

And crept away with it to slake your passion by

上海龙凤shlf最新地址the shuddering palms.

Who were your lovers? who were they

who wrestled for you in the dust?

Which was the vessel of your Lust?  What

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Leman had you, every day?

Did giant Lizards come and crouch before you

on the reedy banks?

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Did Gryphons with great metal flanks leap on

you in your trampled couch?

Did monstrous hippopotami come sidling toward

you in the mist?

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Did gilt-scaled dragons writhe and twist with

passion as you passed them by?

And from the brick-built Lycian tomb what

上海龙凤shlf最新地址horrible Chimera came

With fearful heads and fearful flame to breed

new wonders from your womb?

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Or had you shameful secret quests and did

上海龙凤shlf最新地址you harry to your home

Some Nereid coiled in amber foam with curious

rock crystal breasts?

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Or did you treading through the froth call to

the brown Sidonian

上海龙凤shlf最新地址For tidings of Leviathan, Leviathan or

Behemoth?

Or did you when the sun was set climb up the

cactus-covered slope

To meet your swarthy Ethiop whose body was

上海龙凤shlf最新地址of polished jet?

Or did you while the earthen skiffs dropped

down the grey Nilotic flats

At twilight and the flickering bats flew round

the temple's triple glyphs

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Steal to the border of the bar and swim across

the silent lake

And slink into the vault and make the Pyramid

your lupanar

Till from each black sarcophagus rose up the

上海龙凤shlf最新地址painted swathed dead?

Or did you lure unto your bed the ivory-horned

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Tragelaphos?

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Or did you love the god of flies who plagued

the Hebrews and was splashed

With wine unto the waist? or Pasht, who had

green beryls for her eyes?

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Or that young god, the Tyrian, who was more

amorous than the dove

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Of Ashtaroth? or did you love the god of the

Assyrian

Whose wings, like strange transparent talc, rose

high above his hawk-faced head,

Painted with silver and with red and ribbed with

rods of Oreichalch?

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Or did huge Apis from his car leap down and

lay before your feet

Big blossoms of the honey-sweet and honey-

coloured nenuphar?

上海龙凤shlf最新地址How subtle-secret is your smile!  Did you

love none then?  Nay, I know

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Great Ammon was your bedfellow!  He lay with

you beside the Nile!

The river-horses in the slime trumpeted when

they saw him come

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Odorous with Syrian galbanum and smeared with

上海龙凤shlf最新地址spikenard and with thyme.

He came along the river bank like some tall

galley argent-sailed,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址He strode across the waters, mailed in beauty,

and the waters sank.

He strode across the desert sand:  he reached

the valley where you lay:

He waited till the dawn of day:  then touched

your black breasts with his hand.

You kissed his mouth with mouths of flame:

you made the horned god your own:

上海龙凤shlf最新地址You stood behind him on his throne:  you called

him by his secret name.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址You whispered monstrous oracles into the

上海龙凤shlf最新地址caverns of his ears:

With blood of goats and blood of steers you

上海龙凤shlf最新地址taught him monstrous miracles.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址White Ammon was your bedfellow!  Your

上海龙凤shlf最新地址chamber was the steaming Nile!

And with your curved archaic smile you watched

上海龙凤shlf最新地址his passion come and go.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址With Syrian oils his brows were bright:

and wide-spread as a tent at noon

His marble limbs made pale the moon and lent

the day a larger light.

His long hair was nine cubits' span and coloured

like that yellow gem

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Which hidden in their garment's hem the

上海龙凤shlf最新地址merchants bring from Kurdistan.

His face was as the must that lies upon a vat of

new-made wine:

The seas could not insapphirine the perfect azure

上海龙凤shlf最新地址of his eyes.

His thick soft throat was white as milk and

上海龙凤shlf最新地址threaded with thin veins of blue:

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And curious pearls like frozen dew were

broidered on his flowing silk.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址On pearl and porphyry pedestalled he was

too bright to look upon:

上海龙凤shlf最新地址For on his ivory breast there shone the wondrous

ocean-emerald,

That mystic moonlit jewel which some diver of

the Colchian caves

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Had found beneath the blackening waves and

carried to the Colchian witch.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Before his gilded galiot ran naked vine-wreathed

corybants,

And lines of swaying elephants knelt down to

draw his chariot,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And lines of swarthy Nubians bare up his litter

as he rode

Down the great granite-paven road between the

上海龙凤shlf最新地址nodding peacock-fans.

The merchants brought him steatite from Sidon

in their painted ships:

The meanest cup that touched his lips was

fashioned from a chrysolite.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址The merchants brought him cedar chests of rich

上海龙凤shlf最新地址apparel bound with cords:

His train was borne by Memphian lords:  young

上海龙凤shlf最新地址kings were glad to be his guests.

Ten hundred shaven priests did bow to Ammon's

上海龙凤shlf最新地址altar day and night,

Ten hundred lamps did wave their light through

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Ammon's carven house - and now

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Foul snake and speckled adder with their young

上海龙凤shlf最新地址ones crawl from stone to stone

For ruined is the house and prone the great

上海龙凤shlf最新地址rose-marble monolith!

Wild ass or trotting jackal comes and couches

in the mouldering gates:

Wild satyrs call unto their mates across the

fallen fluted drums.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And on the summit of the pile the blue-faced

ape of Horus sits

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And gibbers while the fig-tree splits the pillars

of the peristyle

The god is scattered here and there:  deep

上海龙凤shlf最新地址hidden in the windy sand

I saw his giant granite hand still clenched in

impotent despair.

And many a wandering caravan of stately

negroes silken-shawled,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Crossing the desert, halts appalled before the

上海龙凤shlf最新地址neck that none can span.

And many a bearded Bedouin draws back his

上海龙凤shlf最新地址yellow-striped burnous

To gaze upon the Titan thews of him who was

上海龙凤shlf最新地址thy paladin.

Go, seek his fragments on the moor and

wash them in the evening dew,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And from their pieces make anew thy mutilated

paramour!

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Go, seek them where they lie alone and from

their broken pieces make

Thy bruised bedfellow!  And wake mad passions

上海龙凤shlf最新地址in the senseless stone!

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Charm his dull ear with Syrian hymns! he loved

your body! oh, be kind,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Pour spikenard on his hair, and wind soft rolls

上海龙凤shlf最新地址of linen round his limbs!

Wind round his head the figured coins! stain

with red fruits those pallid lips!

Weave purple for his shrunken hips! and purple

for his barren loins!

Away to Egypt!  Have no fear.  Only one

上海龙凤shlf最新地址God has ever died.

Only one God has let His side be wounded by a

上海龙凤shlf最新地址soldier's spear.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址But these, thy lovers, are not dead.  Still by the

hundred-cubit gate

Dog-faced Anubis sits in state with lotus-lilies

上海龙凤shlf最新地址for thy head.

Still from his chair of porphyry gaunt Memnon

上海龙凤shlf最新地址strains his lidless eyes

Across the empty land, and cries each yellow

上海龙凤shlf最新地址morning unto thee.

And Nilus with his broken horn lies in his black

上海龙凤shlf最新地址and oozy bed

And till thy coming will not spread his waters on

the withering corn.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Your lovers are not dead, I know.  They will

上海龙凤shlf最新地址rise up and hear your voice

And clash their cymbals and rejoice and run to

kiss your mouth!  And so,

Set wings upon your argosies!  Set horses to

your ebon car!

Back to your Nile!  Or if you are grown sick of

dead divinities

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Follow some roving lion's spoor across the copper-

上海龙凤shlf最新地址coloured plain,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Reach out and hale him by the mane and bid

him be your paramour!

Couch by his side upon the grass and set your

上海龙凤shlf最新地址white teeth in his throat

And when you hear his dying note lash your

long flanks of polished brass

And take a tiger for your mate, whose amber

上海龙凤shlf最新地址sides are flecked with black,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And ride upon his gilded back in triumph

through the Theban gate,

And toy with him in amorous jests, and when

上海龙凤shlf最新地址he turns, and snarls, and gnaws,

O smite him with your jasper claws! and bruise

him with your agate breasts!

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Why are you tarrying?  Get hence!  I

weary of your sullen ways,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址I weary of your steadfast gaze, your somnolent

magnificence.

Your horrible and heavy breath makes the light

flicker in the lamp,

And on my brow I feel the damp and dreadful

dews of night and death.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Your eyes are like fantastic moons that shiver

in some stagnant lake,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Your tongue is like a scarlet snake that dances

to fantastic tunes,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Your pulse makes poisonous melodies, and your

black throat is like the hole

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Left by some torch or burning coal on Saracenic

tapestries.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Away!  The sulphur-coloured stars are hurrying

through the Western gate!

Away!  Or it may be too late to climb their silent

silver cars!

上海龙凤shlf最新地址See, the dawn shivers round the grey gilt-dialled

towers, and the rain

Streams down each diamonded pane and blurs

with tears the wannish day.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址What snake-tressed fury fresh from Hell, with

uncouth gestures and unclean,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Stole from the poppy-drowsy queen and led you

to a student's cell?

What songless tongueless ghost of sin crept

through the curtains of the night,

And saw my taper burning bright, and knocked,

and bade you enter in?

Are there not others more accursed, whiter with

leprosies than I?

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Are Abana and Pharphar dry that you come here

to slake your thirst?

Get hence, you loathsome mystery!  Hideous

上海龙凤shlf最新地址animal, get hence!

You wake in me each bestial sense, you make me

what I would not be.

You make my creed a barren sham, you wake

上海龙凤shlf最新地址foul dreams of sensual life,

And Atys with his blood-stained knife were

better than the thing I am.

False Sphinx!  False Sphinx!  By reedy Styx

上海龙凤shlf最新地址old Charon, leaning on his oar,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Waits for my coin.  Go thou before, and leave

上海龙凤shlf最新地址me to my crucifix,

Whose pallid burden, sick with pain, watches

上海龙凤shlf最新地址the world with wearied eyes,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And weeps for every soul that dies, and weeps

上海龙凤shlf最新地址for every soul in vain.