ONE VIEW OF THE QUESTION. S. C. 1913 - 1914.

You who have waked beside her when the dawn
Coloured the vast perfection of her breast,
You sailor-man who held her soul in pawn,
That sombre jewel wholly yielded free
Unto your poisoned body and your shrinking
Vain common-dreaming soul, we trace your thinking
Your prudent flight, your hard-saved vanity.

(Slender unvirgin Beauty!
Trading for honey with your chastity,
Our Mother of red roses...
A slave desires a slave... and you were free.)

When she was lonely, then you let her days
Waste at your starile pleasure, she was tired
And you regarded not, her flashing ways
Clipped to your narrow measure, and no hired
Curled girl more faithfully fulfilled your pleasure.

Now in the dust
Where you have broken her she lies.
Fulfilled your lust.

["We serve the body of her soul that dies,", "The rotted husk of her delight,", "(Fire-opals were her eyes)", "Bones staring white", "Where once her flesh burned exquisite....", "Consider man,", "The subtle humour of Providence' excellent plan.", "Poor thing you are,", "Timid and lustful enough, but the High Gods gave", "One shot at a star", "And a snare immortal to save", "Her soul and your own, in an hour to exhalt you, a slave", "To the thin brigat host of the free......", "To love her and know", "That your love sufficed for her healing, and your strength\nwould have it so.", "And you preferred", "To flatter and whine in your pride man, to bully and wince\nand veer", "To bargain, exhort . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Turn you man!

And grey may your day, and dark may your passing be,
Not hurled to your death on the breast of the matchless
sea

Whose shifting smile

Lies in the cloudy emeralds of her eyes......

Complete the jest!

We would have done your work

In rapture and in compassion, in laughter and subtle
word,

And perished our bodies and souls in the hour of accomplishment

We are not lent
w

Poor for an hour on our souls' desire to, be spent

Only to watch your play on the stoned gold wings of our
bird.