Tiger Bay: The Tigress

THE TIGRESS.
A DREAM I had in the dead of night:
Darkness — the Jungle— a black Man sleeping —
Head on his arm, with the moon-dew creeping
Over his face in a silvern light:
The Moon was driving, the Wind was crying;
Two great lights gleam' d, round, horrid, and red,
Two great eyes, steadfast beside the bed
Where the man was lying.

Hark! hark!
What wild things cry in the dark?
Only the Wind as it raves,
Only the Beasts in their caves,
Where the Jungle waves.
The man slept on, and his face was bright,
Tender and strange, for the man was dreaming—
Coldly the light on his limbs was gleaming,
On his jet-black limbs and their folds of white; —

Leprous-spotted, and gaunt, and hated,
With teeth protruding and hideous head,
Her two eyes burning so still, so red,
The Tigress waited.
Hark! hark!
The wild things cry in the dark;
The Wind whistles and raves,
The Beasts groan in their caves,
And the Jungle waves.

From cloud to cloud the cold Moon crept,
The silver light kept coming and going —
The Jungle under was bleakly blowing,
The Tigress watch'd, and the black Man slept.
The Wind was wailing, the Moon was gleaming:
He stirr'd and shiver'd, then raised his head:—
Like a thunderbolt the Tigress sped,
And the Man fell screaming —
Hark! hark!

The wild things cry in the dark;
The wild Wind whistles and raves,
The Beasts groan in their caves,
And the Jungle waves.