Love
The Song of the Prince in Disguise
From Poems and Phantasies (1917)
The look in thine eyes can change me utterly;
Thine eyes challenge: my heart is lighted,
I am thy taper, I burn straight-pointed--
Ay, even so doing I waste away.
Bathe me in thy calm eyes' soft glances;
I am thy slave, I bow, I worship;
Bid me to steal, and I will steal gladly:
Ah! bid me not, thou robbest my manhood.
Let thine eyes smile: change comes upon me,
I put forth blossoms, flowers of my passion,
Roses crimson, alas! whose petals,
Once white, now blush with blood of my heart.
Gaze not on me: I burn, I perish;
Gaze not on me: I am thy servant;
Gaze not on me: I sink a-bleeding;
Yet gaze! I cannot otherwise live.
Cite this poem
MLA
Nichols, Robert. “The Song of the Prince in Disguise.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/nichols/43/.
Chicago
Nichols, Robert. “The Song of the Prince in Disguise.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/nichols/43/.
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