I FOUND bright drops of purple blood
Beside a dying faun.
A mushroom-cup had caught that flood
From the brown body torn.
I took the blood and went apart
With her whose love I killed.
"Take this and fill with it your heart,
In place of what I spilled!"
She looked at me out of her pain —
Sweet saints, on my death-bed
Let me not see that look again!
Then lightly, lightly she said —
"I take that blood. When we shall meet,"
And she gave me her mouth to kiss —
"At the White Christ's golden judgment seat,
I will lie to him of this.
"I will lie to him, the great White Christ,
About the love you killed.
I will say the brown faun's blood sufficed
In place of what you spilled."
Softly she turned and left me there.
And I was left alone;
