#memento morbid

[acosmic]

And my blood strengthens, and my veins abound. I pray thee sigh not, speak not, draw not breath; Let life burn down, and dream it is not death. - I would earth had thy body as fruit to eat, And no mouth but some serpent's found thee sweet. I would find grievous ways to have thee slain, Intense device, and superflux of pain. - Relapse and reluctation of the breath, Dumb tunes and shuddering semitones of death, - And stinging lips wherein the hot sweet brine That Love was born of burns and foams like wine. - Sweet soul, sweet mouth of all that laughs and lives, Mine is she, very mine, and she forgives.

“anactoria”, a fairly morbid victorian poem inspired/narrated by sappho.

written by algernon charles swinburne, excerpted by me

[acosmic]

Ah that my mouth for Muses' milk were fed On the sweet blood thy small wounds had bled! - Thy body were abolished and consumed, And in my flesh thy very flesh entombed! - For my sake when I hurt thee; O that I Durst crush thee out of life with love, and die. - Would I not plague thee dying overmuch? Would I not hurt thee perfectly? not touch - Feed thee with fever and famine and fine drouth, With perfect pangs convulse thy perfect mouth - Cruel? but love makes all that love him well As wise as heaven and crueller than hell. - If my feet trod upon the stars and sun And souls of men as his have always trod, God knows I might be crueller than God.

“anactoria”, by algernon charles swinburne

context: while imitating/speaking as sappho, swinburne shows the poet as uncharacteristically morbid about her feelings for anactoria.

[acosmic]

and the days and loves werewhith I live quicken me with loving, fill my lungs with breath, save me and serve me, strive for me with death.

“anactoria” - written by algernon charles swinburne, small edits by me