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.
caitlin8811 –
I wanted to love this perfume so badly, but I have to accept that any musky scent I wear will always go powdery on me. The plum smelled so good in the bottle but after this dried down, the musk took over entirely. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it also didn’t have any interest after drying down. It had that generic incense smell, like I’d spent a little while in a metaphysics or head shop. Not a bad, just not one I’ll wear again.
Katie –
I love carnation, so was hoping this would be a perfect scent for me. However, on my skin the carnation doesn’t come across at all. It’s all plum on me, and I am not a fruity scent person at all. Alas.
susnsmsh –
One of the very first imps I took a chance on. I could NOT be more pleased. I wish I could bathe in this scent, it is so delicious. Beautifully floral and sensual without being cloying. Perfect.
lookingglass –
This is beautiful…dark purple tangy plum with pink carnation swirl and dead sexy musk. I can pick out each individual note clearly. A wonderful example of what I love to call BPAL’s “fruitientals”.
Gloame –
This reminds me a lot of Arkham. It’s very green and crisp. A little fruit/plum in there, but not too much. It’s nice, but it doesn’t really speak to me.
puck_nc –
Plenty of musk, but there’s also plenty of carnation with the plum as a pleasant zing in the background. A nicely balanced, sophisticated scent.
VetchVespers –
This is wonderful. I feel like I’ve bathed in exotic and expensive red wine. Rich, decadent, fruity, and spicy. Gorgeous – Worthy of a queen.
[email protected] –
After a full body test, this blend morphed into a very light floral. Clean and pleasant but didn’t stay on my body long.
claudia6913 –
This scent is in my top 5 favorite BPAL general catalog scents. The scent itself is floral with the lovely spice of carnation. It is sensual without being over done. I keep a few bottles of this on hand at all times so I never run out.
Sara –
the blend of plum and carnation is delightful. a perfect mixture of juicy fruit and delicate flowers, with a layer of warm musk. this is a grown-up scent, very polished.