One petal of a blood-red tulip pressed Between the pages of a Baudelaire: No more; and I was suddenly aware Of the white fragrant apple of a breast On which my lips were pastured; and I knew That dreaming I remembered an old dream. Sweeter than any fruit that fruit did seem, Which, as my hungry teeth devoured it, grew Ever again, and tantalised my taste. So, vainly hungering, I seemed to see Eve and the serpent and the apple-tree, And Adam in the garden, and God laying waste Innocent Eden, because man's desire, Godlike before, now for a woman's sake Descended through the woman to the snake. Then as my mouth grew parched, stung as with fire By that white fragrant apple, once so fair, That seemed to shrink and spire into a flame, I cried, and wakened, crying on your name: One blood-red petal stained the Baudelaire. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...GLASS HOUSES by EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON EPISTLE TO WILLIAM SIMPSON OF OCHILTREE by ROBERT BURNS A SHROPSHIRE LAD: 13 by ALFRED EDWARD HOUSMAN ON A CURATE'S COMPLAINT OF HARD DUTY by JONATHAN SWIFT NORTHBOUN' by LUCY ARIEL WILLIAMS THE BATTLE-SONG OF GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS by MICHAEL ALTENBURG |