The Masquerader and Phoenix

Hist! - the sonorous orchestral ambience and the arabesque-slane'd ballerina, Her wee feet in an alacritic maelstrom-twirl, And the dust-hurl with her tears blendeth - Egad! this quagmire; Pasteth her unaptly apt feet to the stage: Like the wither'd rose of the luciferous Eden By the mummer'd-masquerader espied vigilly and mockingly, His behesting visage, tho' ruddily mummer'd 'tis - Embower'd and eddying oft and eft gloam by gloam, Her sweetness ne'er cloy - further! further! - His scratching and dallying hollow-hearted eyes Her bre*sts and vestal heart caress, And like the dove and bird of prey leapeth she aerily, Whileas the orchestra playeth on travailingly; His one and sole swath With the pizzicato'd ensemble blendeth - And her umbral foetal scream - As the song climaxeth And slowly Dieth away...