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Should Lanterns Shine

Should lanterns shine, the holy face,
       Caught in an octagon of unaccustomed light,
       Would wither up, and any boy of love
       Look twice before he fell from grace.
       The features in their private dark
       Are formed of flesh, but let the false day come
       And from her lips the faded pigments fall,
       The mummy cloths expose an ancient breast.
 
       I have been told to reason by the heart,
       But heart, like head, leads helplessly;
       I have been told to reason by the pulse,
       And, when it quickens, alter the actions’ pace
       Till field and roof lie level and the same
       So fast I move defying time, the quiet gentleman
       Whose beard wags in Egyptian wind.
 
       I have heard may years of telling,
       And many years should see some change.
 
       The ball I threw while playing in the park
       Has not yet reached the ground.
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