My well-beloved was stripped. Knowing my whim,
She wore her tinkling gems, but naught besides:
And showed such pride as, while her luck betides,
A sultan’s favored slave may show to him.
When it lets off its lively, crackling sound,
This blazing blend of metal crossed with stone
Gives me an ecstasy I’ve only known
Where league of sound and lustre can be found.
She let herself be loved: then, drowsy-eyed,
Smiled down from her high couch in languid ease.
My love was deep and gentle as the seas
And rose to her as to a cliff the tide.
My own approval of each dreamy pose,
Like a tamed tiger, cunningly she sighted:
And candour, with lubricity united,
Gave piquancy to every one she chose.
Her limbs and hips, burnished with changing lustres
Before my eyes, clairvoyant and serene,
Swanned themselves, undulating in their sheen;
Her breasts and belly, of my vine the clusters,
Like evil angels rose, my fancy twitting,
To kill the peace which over me she’d thrown,
And to disturb her from the crystal throne
Where, calm and solitary, she was sitting.
So swerved her pelvis that, in one design,
Antiope’s white rump it seemed to graft
To a boy’s torso, merging fore and aft.
The talc on her brown tan seemed half-divine.
The lamp resigned its dying flame. Within,
The hearth alone lit up the darkened air,
And every time it sighed a crimson flare
It drowned in blood that amber-coloured skin.
Skin musk and honey, blood-red rose, orange blossom, white peach, red apple, frankincense and myrrh.
minikadomi –
Sharp, sweet, woody, resinous. Interesting as a concept but not very pleasant…
Emily –
Got this as a frimp, which is great cause it was on my list to try!
My chemistry took away the complexity and left me with a cloyingly sweet blast of the resins in opium, with a teensy hint of the rich sweetness of red musk. It went there almost immediately and it STAYED. Strong, powerful, loud, with no hint of fading hours later. I probably should have known better, I’ve tried opium oils before and all they do is go resin-sweet.
Three stars because I found it boring and annoyingly sweet. I was really hoping for the peppery smokey animal notes but oh well.
lookingglass –
Ooooh, NAST-AY! Love this one! Dirty, sweet, hot, sexy civit. It makes me smile when it dies out all sweet and incensey. The man and I both wear it.
Gloame –
This reminds me of something from my childhood, which was decidedly not debauched. I have no idea what it is, but I like it! Dry, resiny—like a softer, sweeter, spicier musk.
kaedilove –
I would never have ordered this scent blind, but I received a sample with an order once, and it’s amazing. Unexpectedly sweet, not incense-heavy at all. It’s very sexy and pleasant, especially on the skin.
flushedwithglee –
Mm, this is an interesting one. It smells kind of like incense on me, musky and somewhat smoky, and quite potent. I rather like it.
kitsch –
When wet it’s almost all civet to me. Which is kind of like … animal pee. Not so great, but it starts to do awesome stuff once it dries down. After a minute on my skin it goes to this not-so-great baby powder smell. (you’re probably thinking the 4 star rating was a slip or something, but hear me out!) Once dry it’s very heady, musky, sensual. I love it. This is probably just a fall and winter scent for me, though. I think it would be too “dark” for spring and summer.
Gina –
This smells like the lovechild of Opium and Tabu. Rich, spicy, and definitely sexual.
werewolfgal –
Wet: Deep and spicy.Very rich.
Drying: So warm and slightly peppery like the fields of poppies in Oz. I’m not getting any of the (what I think should be) civet and very little musk has come through.
Dry: Still rather spicy and nice pleasantly piquant.
This is a nice winter smell as I think it would be too warm for summer. Cozy and yet disquieting like rereading an old raunchy favourite. Deliciously naughty but oh so nice.
Empornium –
First Application: Thick with incense smoke, with a hot bitter bite like burning embers, heady with opium and sweet vanilla, with a skin musk reminiscent of depraved rough sex.
5-10 Minutes: Buttery, rich musk with a dazed, drowsy black opium and vanilla. The smoke has eased into the fragrance background, like the hint of incense or thick pipe tobacco smoke on a suit jacket.
10-20 Minutes: It just gets sweeter and sweeter.
[email protected] –
I received a frimp of this with my latest order. This is a musk scent dark enough to be noticed, but also light enough to wear anywhere. Not a complex scent with my chemistry, but if you are in the market for musk blends, one to consider.
xaglow –
This is a very nice scent dry. I’m not 100% sold on it wet. You can’t really go wrong with Egyptian musk warmed as they have in this one.