You Looked More Beautiful (A) Poem by Gert Strydom

(in answer to Aleister Crowley)

The gypsy in your blood you said you did forswore
and I was captured in your eyes as we danced,
you looked more beautiful than ever before;
as a sorceress, priestess and widow had me entranced,
from the depth of my heart I did you adore,
there was something surreal almost holy in your glance.

Jasmine, lavender and gardenia was on the night-air,
in starlight you were so close it was almost a caress,
you said like popcorn meddled was your almost silky hair,
and your eyes gleamed bright as you floated in a white dress,
around us it was if there was magic everywhere,
and it was like lightning when my lips did on yours press,

white-blue the stars gleamed with infinite lights,
while your lips were alive with passion and love
and I wished on us millions of such crazy nights,
from the God that destines from somewhere way above,
to this serene tranquility away from the gamboling city sights,
to keep you as my fierce tigress and my peaceful dove

but now all of this is a distant memory
and above me twinkle lonely the evening-star,
as if such wonderful things can never be,
from that kind of life you keep me far,
where you do not want to live with me
and you do with words and things the way to you bar.

(Reference: 'La Gitana' by Aleister Crowley.

Poet's note: I have written two versions of this poem. You can decide which version you do prefer. The difference lies in rhythm and exactly what is said where the second poem is more concise.

I am quoting Aleister Crowley's poem here:


'La Gitana' by Aleister Crowley

'Your hair was full of roses in the dewfall as we danced,
The sorceress enchanting and the paladin entranced,
In the starlight as we wove us in a web of silk and steel
Immemorial as the marble in the halls of Boabdil,
In the pleasuance of the roses with the fountains and the yews
Where the snowy Sierra soothed us with the breezes and the dews!
In the starlight as we trembled from a laugh to a caress,
And the God came warm upon us in our pagan allegresse.
Was the Baile de la Bona too seductive? Did you feel
Through the silence and the softness all the tension of the steel?
For your hair was full of roses, and my flesh was full of thorns,
And the midnight came upon us worth a million crazy morns.
Ah! my Gipsy, my Gitana, my Saliya! were you fain
For the dance to turn to earnest? - O the sunny land of Spain!
My Gitana, my Saliya! more delicious than a dove!
With your hair aflame with roses and your lips alight with love!
Shall I see you, shall I kiss you once again? I wander far
From the sunny land of summer to the icy Polar Star.
I shall find you, I shall have you! I am coming back again
From the filth and fog to seek you in the sunny land of Spain.
I shall find you, my Gitana, my Saliya! as of old
With your hair aflame with roses and your body gay with gold.
I shall find you, I shall have you, in the summer and the south
With our passion in your body and our love upon your mouth -
With our wonder and our worship be the world aflame anew!
My Gitana, my Saliya! I am coming back to you! ']
© Gert Strydom