He felt the wild beast in him betweenwhiles <br />So masterfully rude, that he would grieve <br />To see the helpless delicate thing receive <br />His guardianship through certain dark defiles. <br />Had he not teeth to rend, and hunger too? <br />But still he spared her. Once: 'Have you no fear ?' <br />He said: 'twas dusk; she in his grasp; none near. <br />She laughed: 'No, surely; am I not with you?' <br />And uttering that soft starry 'you,' she leaned <br />Her gentle body near him, looking up; <br />And from her eyes, as from a poison-cup, <br />He drank until the flittering eyelids screened. <br />Devilish malignant witch and oh, young beam <br />Of heaven's circle-glory! Here thy shape <br />To squeeze like an intoxicating grape <br />I might, and yet thou goest safe, supreme.<br /><br />George Meredith<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/modern-love-ix-he-felt-the-wild-beast/
