Nicotine

A Hymn to the Dope Goddess of the murmuring courts,Nicotine, my Nicotine,Houri of the mystic sports,trailing-robed in gabardine,Gliding where the breath hath glided,Hidden sylph of filmy veils,Truth behind the dream is veilédE'en as thou art, smiling ever, ever gliding,Wraith of wraiths, dim lights dividingPurple, grey, and shadow greenGoddess, Dream-grace, Nicotine.Goddess of the shadow's lights,Nicotine, my Nicotine,Some would set old Earth to rights, Thou I none such ween.Veils of shade our dream dividing,Houris dancing, intergliding,Wraith of wraiths and dream of faces,Silent guardian of the old unhallowed places,Utter symbol of all old sweet druidings,Mem'ry of witched wold and green,Nicotine, my Nicotine:Neath the shadows of thy weavingDreams that need no undeceiving,Loves that longer hold me not,Dreams I dream not any more,Fragrance of old sweet forgotten places,Smiles of dream-lit, flit-by facesAll as perfume Arab-sweetDeck the high road to thy feetAs were Godiva's coming fatedAnd all the April's blush belatedWere lain before her, carpetingThe stones of Coventry with spring,So thou my mist-enwreathéd queen,Nicotine, white Nicotine,Riding engloried in they hairMak'st by-road of our dreamsThy thorough-fare.

Ezra Pound
From "A Lume Spento", 1908.