Perfume Of Youth
Adelaide Crapsey

(Girl’s Song)

In Babylon, in Nineveh,
And long ago, and far away,
The lilies and the lotus blew
That are my sweet of youth to-day.

From those high gardens of the Gods
That eyes of men may never see,
The amaranth and asphodel
Immortal odours shed on me.

In vial of my early years,
As in a crystal vial held,
What precious fragrance treasured up
Of age and agelessness distilled.

XThine but to give. Give straightway all.Y
Yea, straight, mine hands, the ointment rare
In great libation joyous pour!
Oh, look of youth. . . Oh, golden hair. . .