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Poems

or, A Miscellany of Sonnets, Satyrs, Drollery, Panegyricks, Elegies, &c. At the Instance, and Request of Several Friends, Times, and Occasions, Composed; and now at their command Collected, and Committed to the Press. By the Author, M. Stevenson
 
 

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The Willow Garland.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


59

The Willow Garland.

How many Coronets of Daffodillies?
Of purer Roses, and of Paphian Lillies,
Wove thy false hope, for her thou thought'st thine own,
When Fate was wreathing Willows for thy Crown?
Unhappy faith, to trust so false a Love,
Cou'd fast and loose thee in thy Myrtle Grove!
Those blissful shades, where every sacred bough
Offer'd it self to kiss, and Crown thy brow!
Thy Tongue, alas! is lost in the surprize,
And nothing now is fluent, but thine Eyes.
From whose all-watery banks, these Willows spread
And plat a woful VVillow for thy Head.
On every Leaf crowns thy neglected hair,
Hang all thy fears, cares, doubts, sighs and dispair;
VVhilst o're thy Crown, as other crowns, the loss
Of all thy Presents is a real Cross.
Unfortunate! that all Herbs Powers cou'd not
Cure thy deep wounds, and unkind Hymen wou'd not!
But, since their vertues fail, seek it in death,
And change thy Willow for a Cypress wreath.

60

Forsaken? 'tis a sound to be abhord;
Some blasted Air form'd that unlucky word.
Suppose, since for her Sex thou can'st not sight Her;
Thy choler, sulphur, and thy fury Nitre.
To this thy Willow add, and thou hast Powder:
And coudst thou fancy rage, or vengeance lowder.
Thy heavy heart, next into Bullets cast;
Sure thou for her wilt be prepar'd at last.
Then from her flinty bosome strike a spark,
And fire it at her heart, she's a fair mark.
But now I think upon't, thou mayst desist,
It is a White thy destiny has mist:
Content then with thy Chaplet, set thee down:
Who can despair, when sorrow has a Crown?