FIRE AIR EARTH AND WATER
ALL BENEATH A DESERT MOON
MAKING LOVE TO PHARAOH'S DAUGHTER
IN THE SHADOW OF HIS TOMB

COVERED BY THE BOWL OF NIGHT
A DEEP DARK ROSE UNFOLDS
TOO DELICATE FOR SOLAR LIGHT
SWEET THE NECTAR THAT IT HOLDS

SCENT OF CEDAR IN THE AIR
SLENDER COPPER COLORED THIGHS
SACRED DELTA SMOOTH AND BARE
FALLING INTO KOHL-DARK EYES

A MOMENT IN ETERNITY
EBON-SHADOWED CRYPTIC GAZE
RENDERED VEIL OF MYSTERY
ENTERING A HIDDEN MAZE

OF HER BELOV'D EXHALTER
AN OFFERING OF PEARL
UPON THE SACRED ALTAR
OF ÆGYPT'S GODDESS-GIRL

HOW BLACK THE NIGHT THO FULL THE MOON
TWIN PLANETS IN THE MIDNIGHT SKY
CROSS, AND FROM A DISTANT DUNE
ECHO JACKALS FERAL CRY
  
TO FREEZE TIME'S ARROW FLIGHT
AND SO AVOID THE DISMAL DAWN
TO FIX THE SZYSZGY OF LIGHT
AND HOLD THE PALE HORIZON 

YET BRIGHT AS SILVER SHIMMERING
RISING TO PREPARE THE WAY-
THE STAR OF ISIS HERALDING
THE DAWN OF PHARAOH'S FUNERAL DAY

ON THE BREATHLESS WINGS OF MORN
INTERRED WITHIN HIS SEPULCHRE
WITH GOLD AND SILVER TO ADORN
HIM- JARS OF FRANKINCENSE AND MYRRH

MAIDENS LITHE WITH PLAITED HAIR
AND MANY MANY A HOUSEHOLD SLAVE
SCRIBES AND EUNUCHS GASPING AIR
SEALED WITH PHARAOH IN HIS GRAVE

AND SO A SERVANT OF THE KING
OF WHOM THE PRINCESS WAS SO FOND
A YOUTH TO PLAY THE HARP AND SING
FOR PHARAOH IN THE LAND BEYOND

ASCENDING AT THE ZENITH HOUR
THE GOLDEN DAIS OF THE SUN
PHAROAH'S DAUGHTER, ÆGYPT'S FLOWER
BETROTHED OF PHARAOH'S ELDEST SON

THE HIGH PRIEST PUTS THE DOUBLE CROWN
ATOP THE ROYAL BRIDEGROOM'S HEAD
BUT KOHL-DARK EYES ARE GAZING DOWN
TOWARD NECROPOLIS INSTEAD

WHERE RISES PHAROAH'S PYRAMID
ABOVE THE CITY OF THE DEAD
SHE JOINS IN THOUGHT HER ONLY LOVE
ENTWINED UPON HIS DYING BED

INSIDE THOSE LIGHTLESS WALLS OF STONE
THE MOON AND STARS YET SEEM TO SHINE
AS IN THAT DESERT NIGHT THEY SHONE
AND PLANETS ONCE AGAIN ALIGN

DESIRE LIKE AN EMBER GLOWS
THE SKY OF DREAMS IS CAST AWHIRL
THE PETALS OF THE DEWY ROSE
RECEIVE THE OFFERING OF PEARL

IN CEDAR PERFUMED ARMS OF DEATH
PHAROAH'S FAITHLESS SERVANT LIES
BREATHING OUT A FINAL BREATH
FALLING INTO KOHL-DARK EYES

PHARAOH'S SISTER QUEEN TONIGHT
LIES BESIDE THE TWICE-CROWNED KING
BATHED IN WANING LUNAR LIGHT
THE CONSUMMATED SIBLINGS CLING

BETWEEN THE SANDS FOREVER SHIFTING
PAST AND FUTURE FORTUNES MERGE
THE ROYAL BARGE IS DRIFTING DRIFTING
SLOWLY ON THE GENTLE SURGE

SERPENTINE THE RIVER NILE
LOTUS AND PAPYRUS GROW
THE IBIS AND THE CROCODILE
PLAY WHERE MOONLIT WATERS FLOW

WITHIN THEIR DUSTY CHAMBERS DEEP
LINEN-CLAD THE GOD-KINGS DREAM
TILL THEY AWAKEN FROM THEIR SLEEP
BESIDE THE GREAT OPHIDIAN STREAM

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