EPILOGUE

PATIENCE, little Heart.
One day a heavy, June-hot woman
Will enter and shut the door to stay.

And when your stifling heart would summon
Cool, lonely night, her roused breasts will keep the
     night at bay,
Sitting in your room like two tiger-lilies
Flaming on after sunset,
Destroying the cool, lonely night with the glow of
     their hot twilight;
There in the morning, still, while the fierce strange
     scent comes yet
Stronger, hot and red; till you thirst for the
     daffodillies
With an anguished, husky thirst that you cannot
     assuage,
When the daffodillies are dead, and a woman of the
     dog-days holds you in gage.
Patience, little Heart.