Scanned and proofed by David Price email ccx074coventryacukA Reading Of LifeContentsA Reading of LifeThe Vital ChoiceA Reading of LifeWith The HuntressA Reading of LifeWith The PersuaderA Reading of LifeThe Test of ManhoodThe Cageing of AresThe NightWalkThe Hueless LoveSong In The SonglessUnion In DisseveranceThe Burden of StrengthThe Main RegretAlternationHawardenAt the CloseForest HistoryA Garden IdylForesight And PatienceThe Invective of AchillesThe Invective of AchillesV 225Marshalling of the AchaiansAgamemnon in the FightParis and DiomedesHypnos on IdaClash in Arms of the Achaians And TrojansThe Horses of AchillesThe Mares of the CamarguePoem  A Reading of LifeThe Vital ChoiceIOr shall we run with ArtemisOr yield the breast to AphroditeBoth are mightyBoth give blissEach can torture if dividedEach claims worship undividedIn her wake would have us wallowIIYouth must offer on bent kneesHomage unto one or otherEarth the motherThis decreesAnd unto the pallid ScytherEither points us shun we eitherShun or too devoutly followPoem  A Reading of LifeWith The HuntressThrough the watereye of nightMidway between eve and dawnSee the chase the rout the flightIn deep forest oread faunGoatfoot antlers laid on neckRavenous all the line for speedSee yon wavy sparkle beckSign of the Virgin Ladys leadDown her course a serpent starCoils and shatters at her heelsPeals the horn exulting pealsPlaintive is it near or farHuntress arrowy to pursueIn and out of woody glenUnder cliffs that tear the blueOver torrent over fenShe and forest where she skimsFeathery darken and relumeThose are her whitelightning limbsCleaving loads of leafy gloomMountains hear her and call backShrewd with night  a frosty wailDistant  her the emerald valeFolds and wonders in her trackNow her retinue is leanMany rearward streams the chaseEager forth of covert seenOne hot tide the rapturous raceQuivercharged and crescentcrownedUp on a flash the lighted moundLeaps she bow to shoulder shaftStrung to barb with archers craftLegs like plaited lyrechords feetSongs to see past pitch of sweetFearful swiftness they outrunShaggy wildness grey or dunChallenge charge of tusks eludeTheirs the dance to tame the rudeBeast and beast in manhood tameFollow we their silver flamePride of flesh from bondage freeReaping vigour of its wasteMarks her servitors and sheSanctifies the unembracedNought of perilous she reeksValour clothes her open breastSweet beyond the thrill of sexHallowed by the sex confessedHuntress arrowy to pursueColder she than sunless dewShe that breath of upper airAy but never lyrist sangDraught of Bacchus never sprangBlood the bliss of Gods to shareHigh oer sweep of eagle wingsLike the run with her when ringsClear her rally and her dartIn the forests cavern heartTells of her victorious aimThen is pause and chatter cheerLaughter at some satyr lameLooks upon the fallen deerMeasuring his noble crestHere a favourite in her trainForemost mid her nymphs caressedAll applauded  Shall she reignWorshipped  O to be with her thereShe that breath of nimble airLifts the breast to giant powerMaid and man and man and maidWho each other would devourElsewhere by the chase betrayedThere are comrades led by herMaidpreserver manmakerPoem  A Reading of LifeWith The PersuaderWho murmurs hither hither  whoWhere nought is audible so fills the earWhere nought is visible can make appearA veil with eyes that waver throughLike twilights pledge of blessed night to comeOr day most golden  All unseen and dumbShe breathes she moves inviting fleesIs lost and leaves the thrilled desireTo clasp and strike a slackened lyreTill over smiles of hyacinth seasFlame in a crystal vessel sailsBeneath a dome of jewelled sprayFor land that drops the rosy dayOn nights of throbbing nightingalesLandward did the wonder flitOr hearts desire of her all earth in itWe saw the heavens fling down their roseOn rapturous waves we saw her glideThe pearly seashell half encloseThe shoal of seanymphs flush the tideAnd we afire to kiss her feet no moreBehold than tracks along a startled shoreWith brightened edges of dark leaves that feignAn ambush hoped as heartless night remainMore closely warmly  hither hither sheThe very she called forth by ripened bloodFor its next breath of being murmurs sheAllurement she fulfilment sheThe stream within us urged to floodMans cry earths answer heavens consent O sheMaid woman and divinityOur overearthly innerearthly mateUnmated she our hunger and our fruitUntasted she our written fateUnread Lifes flowering Lifes rootUnread divined unseen beheldThe evanescent everpresent sheGreat Natures stern necessityIn radiance clothed to softness quelledWith a swords edge of sweetness keen to takeOur breath for bliss our hearts for fulness breakThe murmur hushes down the veil is rentMans cry earths answer heavens consentHer form is given to pardoned sightAnd lets our mortal eyes receiveThe sovereign loveliness of celestial whiteAdored by them who solitarily paceIn dusk of the underworlds perpetual eveThe paths among the meadow asphodelRemembering  Never there her faceIs planetary reddens to shore seashellAround such whiteness the enamoured airOf noon that clothes her never thereDaughter of light the joyful lightShe stands unveiled to nuptial sightSweet in her disregard of aidDivine to conquer or persuadeA fountain jets from moss a flowerBends gently where her sunset tresses showerBy guerdon of her brilliance may be seenWith eyelids unabashed the passions QueenShorn of attendant Graces she can useHer natural snares to make her will supremeA simple nymph it is inclined to museBefore the leader foot shall dip in streamOne arm at curve along a rounded thighHer firm new breasts each pointing its own wayA knee half bent to shade its fellow shyWhere innocence not nature signals nayThe bud of fresh virginity awaitsThe wooer and all roseate will she burstShe touches on the hour of happy matesStill is she unaware she wakens thirstAnd while commanding blissful sight believeIt holds her as a body strained to breastDown on the underworlds perpetual eveShe plunges the possessor dispossessedAnd bids believe that image heaving warmIs lost to float like torchsmoke after flameThe phantom any breeze blows out of formA thirsts delusion a defeated aimThe rapture shed the torture weavesThe direst blow on human heart she dealsThe pain to know the seen deceivesNought true but what insufferably feelsAnd stabs of her delicious noteThat is as heavenly light to hearing heardThrough shelter leaves the laughter from her throatWe answer as the midnights mornings birdShe laughs