N y c t a l o p s

Ye that see in darkness
When the moon is drowned
In the coiling fen-mist
Far along the ground
Ye that see in darkness,
Say, what have ye found?

We have seen strange atoms
Trysting on the air
The dust of vanished lovers
Long parted in despair,
And dust of flowers that withered
In worlds of otherwhere.

We have seen the nightmares
Winging down the sky,
Bat-like and silent,
To where the sleepers lie;
We have seen the bosoms
Of the succubi.

We have seen the crystal
Of dead Medusa's tears.
We have watched the undines
That wane in stagnant weirs,
And mandrakes madly dancing
By black, blood-swollen meres.

We have seen the satyrs
Their ancient loves renew
With moon-white nymphs of cypress,
Pale dryads of the yew,
In tall grass of graveyards
Weighed down with evening's dew.

We have seen the darkness
Where charnel things decay,
Where atom moves with atom
In shining swift array,
Like ordered constellations
On some sidereal way.

We have seen fair colors
That dwell not in the light
Intenser gold and iris
Occult and recondite;
We have seen the black suns
Pouring forth the night.

 

 

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Listen to an accompanied reading of Nyctalops in .mp3 format by clicking here.

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