Ah tyrant Love, Megaera’s serpents bearing,
Why thus requite my sighs with venom’d smart?
Ah ruthless dove, the vulture’s talons wearing,
Why flesh them, traitress, in this faithful heart?
Is this my meed? Must dragons’ teeth alone
In Venus’ lawns by lovers’ hands be sown?
Nay, gentlest Cupid; ’twas my pride undid me;
Nay, guiltless dove; by mine own wound I fell.
To worship, not to wed, Celestials bid me:
I dreamt to mate in heaven, and wake in hell;
For ever doom’d, Ixion-like, to reel
On mine own passions’ ever-burning wheel.
Devonshire, 1854.
From Westward Ho!
(Charles Kingsley)
More Poetry from Charles Kingsley:
Charles Kingsley Poems based on Topics: Love, Heaven, Hell, Worship- Saint Maura: A.D. 304 (Charles Kingsley Poems)
- The Song of The Little Baltung: A.D. 395 (Charles Kingsley Poems)
- Ode On The Istallation of the Duke of Devonshire (Charles Kingsley Poems)
- Christmas Day (Charles Kingsley Poems)
- The Legend of La Brea (Charles Kingsley Poems)
- The Longbeard's Saga: A.D. 400 (Charles Kingsley Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Love Poems, Heaven Poems, Hell Poems, Worship PoemsBased on Keywords: undid, ever-burning, devonshire, traitress, celestials, megaera