V

If since eve drew in, I say,
        I have sat and brought
        (So to speak) my thought
To bear on the woman away,
Till I felt my hair turn grey—­

VI

Till I seemed to have and hold,
        In the vacancy
        ’Twixt the wall and me,
>From the hair-plait’s chestnut gold
To the foot in its muslin fold—­ 30

VII

Have and hold, then and there,
        Her, from head to foot
        Breathing and mute,
Passive and yet aware,
In the grasp of my steady stare—­

VIII

Hold and have, there and then,
        All her body and soul
        That completes my whole,
All that women add to men,
In the clutch of my steady ken—­ 40

IX

Having and holding, till
        I imprint her fast
        On the void at last
As the sun does whom he will
By the calotypist’s skill—­

X

Then,—­if my heart’s strength serve,
        And through all and each
        Of the veils I reach
To her soul and never swerve,
Knitting an iron nerve—­ 50

XI

Command her soul to advance
        And inform the shape
        Which has made escape
And before my countenance
Answers me glance for glance—­

XII

I, still with a gesture fit
        Of my hands that best
        Do my soul’s behest,
Pointing the power from it,
While myself do steadfast sit—­ 60

XIII

Steadfast and still the same
        On my object bent,
        While the hands give vent
To my ardour and my aim
And break into very flame—­

XIV

Then I reach, I must believe,
        Not her soul in vain,
        For to me again
It reaches, and past retrieve
Is wound in the toils I weave; 70

XV

And must follow as I require,
        As befits a thrall,
        Bringing flesh and all,
Essence and earth-attire
To the source of the tractile fire: 

XVI

Till the house called hers, not mine,
        With a growing weight
        Seems to suffocate
If she break not its leaden line
And escape from its close confine. 80