Small Tableaux By the Rev. Charles Turner [i.e. Charles Tennyson] |
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To the same little Child. A RECANTATION.
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42
To the same little Child. A RECANTATION.
The conqueror's chaplet doth not suit at allThose girlish azure orbs, and tresses' flow:
Above—the victor wreath of ravaged Gaul—
The fairy-land of thy sweet face below,
Unscathed and clear! Ill fancy! that I wrought
A garland for thee of such stern device;
I made a monster, Katie, when I brought
The Cæsar's shadow o'er thy sunny eyes;
But I must kiss thee, darling, all the same;
What, peevish! and this one brief kiss my dole!
Well—as it seems but half a kiss I stole,
Now thou art but half Katie, I will claim
The other half when thou art Katie whole,
Uncrost by martial hints and Roman fame.
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