Meeting Benches World art in all forms
EPITHALAMIUM
“Open the windows and thee doors all wide
lest taught of night abide,
or, like a ship’s trail in the sea, survive
what made it there to live!
She lies in bed half waiting that her wish
grow bolder or more rich
to make her rise, or poorer, to oust fear,
and she rise as a common day were here.
That she would be a bride in bed with man
the parts where she is woman do insist
and send up messages that shame doth ban
from being dreamed but in a shapeless mist.
She open her eyes, the ceiling sees above
shutting the small alcove,
and thinks, till she must shut her eyes again.
Another ceiling she this night will know,
another house, another bed, she lain
in a way she half guesses; so
she shuts her eyes to see not the room she
soon will no longer see.”
(Fernando Pessoa)
