Long and lonely are my nights. br Come help me Goddess, end my blight; br her absence burns me, burns my sides br with love intense. br br Aphrodite, hail or sleet, br I implore you to come down from Crete; br my altar smokes, awaits your feet, br with frankincense. br br Your love-demented Sappho pleads: br Give me no manna and no mead. br It's love, not wine that Sappho needs br you understand. br br I haven't had a word from her! br Once again make her my lover br in bed and bower her breasts should flower, br in my hands. br br Her star-erasing beauty's spell, br turns me feverish, frail, unwell. br Her presence is both bliss and hell - br I tremble so. br br Her absence scars my empty flank. br Goddess you don't need my verse br to tell you this. My love is frank, br I can't dissemble so. br br Bring back Gongyla to my side! br May she once more become my bride! br May she, her lyre and her fire br beside me purr. br br Come foam-born and Cyprus-born, br Goddess of love and the lovelorn, br my altar awaits you with fire-urn, br incense and myrrh.