Gordon Bottomley - A Survival lyrics

Rare Lionardo's fair dead Florentine Still mid her faery rocks doth darkly smile The ages down, whilst many an ancient wile Lights up her eyes, like sunlight in old wine. She glows in that faint land of strange design Sole-set, like some ensorcelled languid isle In evil fairness mid a sea of guile, With pitiless features calmed to seem benign. One smiles on me in stillness yesterday As Lisa smiles upon me from the past, Until this later world seemed spent and grey. "Ah, lady," whispered I, "didst ever taste Thy painter's lips? What love-words did he say? Know'st though no songs of thine encomiast?"