Love

Venus and Death

by Coventry Patmore 1823–1896

From The Unknown Eros (1890), Amelia, etc.

Love

With fetters gold her captivated feet
Lay, sunny sweet;
In that palm was the poppy, Sleep; in this
The apple, Bliss;
Against the mild side of his Spouse and Mother
One small God throve, and in't, meseem'd, another.
By these a Death-in-Life did foully breathe
Out of a face that was one grate of teeth.
Lift, O kind Angels, lift her eyelids loth,
Lest he devour her and her Godlets both!

MLA

Patmore, Coventry. “Venus and Death.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/patmore/73/.

Chicago

Patmore, Coventry. “Venus and Death.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/patmore/73/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

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