The Poems of Edmund Waller | ||
175
TO A FAIR LADY, PLAYING WITH A SNAKE.
Strange! that such horror and such grace
Should dwell together in one place;
A fury's arm, an angel's face!
Should dwell together in one place;
A fury's arm, an angel's face!
'Tis innocence, and youth, which makes
In Chloris' fancy such mistakes,
To start at love, and play with snakes.
In Chloris' fancy such mistakes,
To start at love, and play with snakes.
By this and by her coldness barred,
Her servants have a task too hard;
The tyrant has a double guard!
Her servants have a task too hard;
The tyrant has a double guard!
Thrice happy snake! that in her sleeve
May boldly creep; we dare not give
Our thoughts so unconfined a leave.
May boldly creep; we dare not give
Our thoughts so unconfined a leave.
Contented in that nest of snow
He lies, as he his bliss did know,
And to the wood no more would go.
He lies, as he his bliss did know,
And to the wood no more would go.
Take heed, fair Eve! you do not make
Another tempter of this snake;
A marble one so warmed would speak.
Another tempter of this snake;
A marble one so warmed would speak.
The Poems of Edmund Waller | ||