Pleasure promises, promises…
Through furled bud and new green leaf,
Through banked brook and sun-warmed stone,
Through star-rise in violet skies.
Through feast set forth with savored care,
Through flame refracted wine and fragrant rose,
Through silvered bowl on mirrored wood,
Pleasure makes its pledge to lips and eyes.
Pleasure promises, but pleasure lies.
But let a long-sought glance cross yours,
Carrying the look of love, intent
Like sun through lens, to burn;
Let knowledge leap the circuits held apart
By frozen doubt, and overload the heart:
To shock delicious shudder from the flesh,
That felt dawns past, and now new dawns to come;
And let the fused energy ignite
All senses promised-to in vain,
Then pleasure promises, and does not lie again.
