A Confession

These are the facts: - I was to blame:     I brought her here and wrought her shame:     She came with me all trustingly.     Lovely and innocent her face:     And in her perfect form, the grace     Of purity and modesty.     I think I loved her then: 'would dote     On her ambrosial breast and throat,     Young as a blossom's tenderness:     Her eyes, that were both glad and sad:     Her cheeks and chin, that dimples had:     Her mouth, red-ripe to kiss and kiss.     Three months passed by; three moons of fire;     When in me sickened all desire:     And in its place a devil, - who     Filled all my soul with deep disgust,     And on the victim of my lust     Turned eyes of loathing, - swiftly grew.     One night, when by my side she slept,     I rose: and leaning, while I kept     The dagger hid, I kissed her hair     And throat: and, when she smiled asleep,     Into her heart I drove it deep:     And left her dead, still smiling there.