Made meek as a mother whose bosom-beats bound with the bliss-bringing bulk of a balm-breathing baby,

As they grope through the grave-yard of creeds, under skies growing green at a groan for the grimness of God.

Blank is the book of his bounty beholden of old, and its binding is blacker than bluer:

Out of blue into black is the scheme of the skies, and their dews are the wine of the bloodshed of things:

Till the darkling desire of delight shall be free as a fawn that is freed from the fangs that pursue her,

Till the heart-beats of hell shall be hushed by a hymn from the hunt that has harried the kennel of kings.

Henry Austin Dobson, better known without his first name, was a skillful writer of beautiful vers de société.

He also wrote much in the French Forms and seemed to find them in no way trammeling.

ON A FAN
THAT BELONGED TO THE MARQUISE DE POMPADOUR

(Ballade)