Clouds without Water/A Quean of the Quality

by Rev. C. Verey (Aleister Crowley)

A

Quean of the

Quality being the

Quatorzains of a

Quietist

---

 

A TERZAIN

King of myself, I labour to espouseAn equal soul. Alas! how frail I findThe golden light within the gilded house.Helpless and passionate, and weak of mind!Lechers and lepers!—all as ivy cling,Emasculate the healthy bole they haunt.Eternity is pregnant; I shall singNow—by my power—a spirit grave and gauntBrilliant and selfish, hard and hot, to flauntReared like a flame across the lampless west,Until by love or laughter we enchaunt,Compel ye to Kithairon's thorny crest—Evoe! Iacche! consummatum est.