Should we have—months ago, when first we loved,

For instance that May morning we two stole

Under the green ascent of sycamores—

If we had come upon a thing like that

Suddenly ...

Seb. "A thing"—there again—"a thing!"

Otti. Then, Venus' body, had we come upon

My husband Luca Gaddi's murdered corpse

Within there, at his couch-foot, covered close—

Would you have pored upon it? Why persist