nnets from the Patagonian? If you
will read my words aright they will give the key to my poems, should
you, my beloved Hollis, still lack a key. The volume when it first
appeared was not liked by divers nice people--it was thought nasty--but
none put it down till he had finished it; a terror was on him lest he
miss a word. And the terror was the Sword of Beauty which slayeth all.
Intrepidity...._

_But you shall interpret the poems yourself._

_DONALD EVANS._

_I have broken my engagement to write a preface, but have given you,
gentle Reader, the Poet's letter instead._

_CORNWALL HOLLIS._

INDICES

#Love in Patagonia#
Love in Patagonia: p. 15

#Portraits of Igor Vyvyan#
In the Vices: p. 19
En Monocle: p. 20

#Portrait of the Fan Fan#
Loving Kindness: p. 23

#Portrait of Mme. Hyssain#
Theatre du Nord: p. 27

#Portrait: in Memoriam#
Failure at Forty: p. 31

#Portrait of a Gentleman and a Lady#
Aspens at Cresheim: p. 35

#Portrait of Michael Peter#
Birthday Piece No. 2: p. 39

#Portraits of Mabel Dodge#
Her Smile: p. 43
The Last Dance at Dawn: p. 41

#Portrait of Carl Van Vechten#
In the Gentlemanly Interest: p. 47

#Portraits of Louise Norton#
Buveuse d'Absinthe: p. 51
Extreme Unction: p. 52
The Jade Vase: p. 53

#Portraits of the Author#
Epicede: p. 57
In the Falklands: p. 58
The Noon of Night: p. 59
Fifth Avenue: p. 60

LOVE IN PATAGONIA

_To
Carl Van Vechten_

LOVE IN PATAGONIA

Forgetting her mauve vows the Fania fled,
Taking away her moonlight scarves with her--
There was no joy left in the calendar,
And life was but an orchid that was dead.
Even our pious peacocks went unfed--
I had deserved no treachery like this,
For I had bitten sharp kiss after kiss
Devoutly, till her sleek young body bled.

Then Carlo came; he shone like a new sin--
Straightway I knew pearl-powder still was sweet,
And that my bleeding heart would not be scarred.
I sought a shop where shoes were sold within,
And for three hundred francs made brave my feet,
And then I danced along the boulevard!

PORTRAITS OF IGOR VYVYAN

_To
Pitts Sanborn_

IN THE VICES

Gay and audacious crime glints in his eyes,
And his mad talk, raping the commonplace,
Gleefully runs a devil-praising race,
And none can ever follow where he flies.
He streaks hi