Page:The Collected Poems of Hart Crane.djvu/45

v THREE SONGS

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The one Sestos, the other Abydos hight. — MARLOWE

SOUTHERN CROSS

I wanted you, nameless Woman of the South,
No wraith, but utterly—as still more alone
The Southern Cross takes night
And lifts her girdles from her, one by one—
High, cool,
               wide from the slowly smoldering fire
Of lower heavens,—
                         vaporous scars!
Eve! Magdalene!
                        or Mary, you?

Whatever call—falls vainly on the wave.
O simian Venus, homeless Eve,
Unwedded, stumbling gardenless to grieve
Windswept guitars on lonely decks forever;
Finally to answer all within one grave!

And this long wake of phosphor,
                                          iridescent
Furrow of all our travel—trailed derision!