The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

You who, like the stab of a knife,

Entered my plaintive heart;

You who, strong as a herd

Of demons, came, ardent and adorned,



To make your bed and your domain

Of my humiliated mind

— Infamous bitch to whom I’m bound

Like the convict to his chain,



Like the stubborn gambler to the game,

Like the drunkard to his wine,

Like the maggots to the corpse,

— Accurst, accurst be you!



I begged the swift poniard

To gain for me my liberty,

I asked perfidious poison

To give aid to my cowardice.



Alas! both poison and the knife

Contemptuously said to me:

“You do not deserve to be freed

From your accursed slavery,



Fool! — if from her domination

Our efforts could deliver you,

Your kisses would resuscitate

The cadaver of your vampire!”

Dinning thunder of your heartbeat

Pulsing here beneath my lips

Telegraphs along the length

Of veins from neck to fingertips.



Heart that calls, I cannot answer

Trapped so deep in sleep's embrace.

Your incessant measured knocking

Cannot stir me from my place.

Torturer! Have you no mercy?

Cease, now! Let me sleep the day!

No, the tolling instrument

Of torment timpanist must play.

Siren, must you lure me further?

You invade my every dream.

Raging rush of carmine liquid

Drowns me, parched, within its stream.



How to bid him cease his thunder?

Stop him? You will cease to be.

That, unless you join the blood-dance

Tooth to neck, both you and me.

Dare I do it? Would you join me

Thirsting through eternity?

But what difference? After yours

Another heart would beat for me.

Still, the blood-dance never ceases;

Drummers leave, the dance remains.

Hearts will cease; the drummer drumming

Slack his pace and stop--in vain.



Dinner-gong! Do you not know

You call me from my silent bed?

Every evening, never ceasing,

I must hasten to be fed.

Caution drives me to another

Lest your earthly clock I stop;

Drain the cup and crush the bottle

Savoring each velvet drop.

Nay! Stop beating quite so loudly!

Torturer! I'll not thus doom

Another victim to my sentence

Roaming in eternal gloom.



Quickly! Lest the madness take me,

Flee from me, I thee implore.

I will seek another's treasure,

Plundering its liquid store.

Do not seek me out in daylight;

Do not seek me out at night.

I will hunt another lover

For my thirst and my delight.



Someday we may meet at dusk,

Or, maybe we will meet at dawn;

But now to save you from my fate,

My love, I fear I must move on.