Michael Villiers, Idealist And Other Poems. By E. H. Hickey |
 |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
|
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
A WEAK-MINDED WOMAN'S COMPARISONS
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
|
| I. |
| II. |
 | Michael Villiers, Idealist |  |
122
A WEAK-MINDED WOMAN'S COMPARISONS
Well, with whom shall I compare you, seeing, O my lief and dear,
How to one (weak-minded!) woman you are just without a peer?
Nay, there is no need to tell me; for I know you deprecate,
Proving thus at least your greatness, anyone should call you great.
What, sir? 'tis the sheerest nonsense, well I know?
I'll not contradict your worship! Be it so!
How to one (weak-minded!) woman you are just without a peer?
Nay, there is no need to tell me; for I know you deprecate,
Proving thus at least your greatness, anyone should call you great.
What, sir? 'tis the sheerest nonsense, well I know?
I'll not contradict your worship! Be it so!
Only I have caught you now, and do not mean to let you stir
Till I've told you things that, maybe, you will laugh at, frown at, sir.
Ay, comparisons are odious! so, in very sooth, they are!
You shall be compared with—whom then? no one in particular!
Just another—quite impersonal, you know—
For convenience, any other; be it so!
Till I've told you things that, maybe, you will laugh at, frown at, sir.
123
You shall be compared with—whom then? no one in particular!
Just another—quite impersonal, you know—
For convenience, any other; be it so!
I would rather have your tempest than another's radiant calm;
I would rather you should wound me than another bring me balm;
I would rather take your blame than praise from any other one;
Rather go in the dark with you than with another in the sun.
It's the very height of foolishness, I know;
But (consider I'm weak-minded!) it is so.
I would rather you should wound me than another bring me balm;
I would rather take your blame than praise from any other one;
Rather go in the dark with you than with another in the sun.
It's the very height of foolishness, I know;
But (consider I'm weak-minded!) it is so.
I would rather have your weakness than their strength men call the strong:
Let them do their rightest right, and I would rather have your wrong:
Wrong or right, my soul's beloved, yea, whatever you may do,
All my faith is clasped around you, and my whole soul loveth you.
That's the height of immorality, I know;
All the same, and notwithstanding, it is so!
Let them do their rightest right, and I would rather have your wrong:
Wrong or right, my soul's beloved, yea, whatever you may do,
All my faith is clasped around you, and my whole soul loveth you.
124
All the same, and notwithstanding, it is so!
But away with over-earnest; let us back to dainty jest!
Is the jest, or is the earnest, tell me, dear my lord, the best?
Is it very gracious fooling, or the way of love to me,
Who am no enfranchised woman of the twentieth century,
But a poor weak-minded creature, and, you know,
'Tis no more, as some one says, no more but so.
Is the jest, or is the earnest, tell me, dear my lord, the best?
Is it very gracious fooling, or the way of love to me,
Who am no enfranchised woman of the twentieth century,
But a poor weak-minded creature, and, you know,
'Tis no more, as some one says, no more but so.
| Michael Villiers, Idealist | |