Dramatic Scenes With Other Poems, Now First Printed. By Barry Cornwall [i.e. Bryan Waller Procter]. Illustrated |
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PHRYNE. |
 | Dramatic Scenes |  |
325
PHRYNE.
Shall you love him? Oh, yes, love him,
While you live—until you die;
Wherefore ask the idle question?
Why your change deny?
While you live—until you die;
Wherefore ask the idle question?
Why your change deny?
When for me you left a lover,
How I loved you, kissed your brow,—
Lips; believed you; too much trusted:
Well,—he'll trust you now.
How I loved you, kissed your brow,—
Lips; believed you; too much trusted:
Well,—he'll trust you now.
In the region of his fancy
He will seat you on a throne,
And fall down, a slave, before you,
Worshipping you alone.
He will seat you on a throne,
And fall down, a slave, before you,
Worshipping you alone.
All the good the Gods have given him,
All his wealth beneath the sun,
He will give you,—soul and body,
Give—as I have done!
All his wealth beneath the sun,
He will give you,—soul and body,
Give—as I have done!
326
Will you then desert him? hate him?
Scorn him, as you me disdain?
Yes:—he'll leave the world behind him,
Burthened with his pain:
Scorn him, as you me disdain?
Yes:—he'll leave the world behind him,
Burthened with his pain:
And you then will sail triumphant,
To “fresh fields and pastures new,”
Leaving in your wake a murmur
Of what Hell can do,
To “fresh fields and pastures new,”
Leaving in your wake a murmur
Of what Hell can do,
When the Serpent stings the woman.
—Oh, sweet Saints who watch above!
Why should harlot Folly reign,
Stinging tender hearts to pain,
Fettering with her slavish chain
The poor peasant, Love?
—Oh, sweet Saints who watch above!
Why should harlot Folly reign,
Stinging tender hearts to pain,
Fettering with her slavish chain
The poor peasant, Love?
| Dramatic Scenes | |