This poem is presented in the final moments of the story, when Humbert confronts Quilty for stealing his true love. Having just visited a heavily pregnant Lo (now living with her new husband) Humbert is distraught, and determined to punish Quilty for making Lo leave him in the first place, so he reads this poem out loud before brutally killing Quilty.

because you took advantage of a sinner
because you took advantage
because you took
because you took advantage of my disadvantage

when I stood Adam-naked before a federal law and all its stinging stars
because you took advantage of a sin
when I was helpless moulting moist and tender hoping for the best
dreaming of marriage in a mountain state aye of a litter of Lolitas...

because you took advantage of my inner essential innocence
because you cheated me
because you cheated me of my redemption
because you took her at the age when lads play with erector sets

a little downy girl still wearing poppies
still eating popcorn in the colored gloam where tawny Indians took paid croppers
because you stole her from her wax-browed and dignified protector
spitting into his heavy-lidded eye ripping his flavid toga
and, at dawn, leaving the hog to roll upon his new discomfort
the awfulness of love and violets remorse despair
while you took a dull doll to pieces and threw its head away

because of all you did
because of all I did not
you have to die

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