Chamber of Arcane Delights
Copyright 1991, S Hartwell
Behold, what delights see I here?
What instruments of magery
adorn this chamber
With components of dire sorceries?
A pentacle drawn upon the floor
In dead-blood black tis traced
upon far older signs,
And in its corners candles placed.
Alembics held their poisons sweet,
Now cloaked in dust and dried
but how long since
Their final victims died?
A crystal orb upon the bench,
Cushioned in its dark repose
upon old velvet frayed
And worn by ages old,
Its glassy eye now filmed
By spiders’ fragile filigree
in gossamer,
Beguiles and beckons me.
Ancient grimoires, rimed with dust
Upon the human leather bindings
and gold-blocked titles
Of their neglected spines.
Suspended from smoke—stained beams
The dire, dull skull of dragon hangs
heavily, by age decayed,
Drips cobwebs from its ancient fangs.
What secrets hide from prying eyes,
What dark and arcane pleasures
wait to be
Examined closely at my leisure?
Behold, such delights I see here,
Such instruments of magery
adorn my chamber
With components of new sorceries!