In Cornwall and Across the Sea With Poems Written in Devonshire. By Douglas B. W. Sladen |
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| UNDER THE MISTLETOE. |
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 | In Cornwall and Across the Sea |  |
213
UNDER THE MISTLETOE.
Why did he kiss her not? because he loved her;
Because an angry word, a struggle vain,
Might breed a coldness which should long remain:
The blushing maid but strove, as it behoved her.
Because an angry word, a struggle vain,
Might breed a coldness which should long remain:
The blushing maid but strove, as it behoved her.
Would it have pleased him, had she yielded lightly
To every lip, which sought her cheek to taste,
Under the mistletoe by frolic placed
Over the door, while laughter echoed brightly?
To every lip, which sought her cheek to taste,
Under the mistletoe by frolic placed
Over the door, while laughter echoed brightly?
Why no! she had his worship: it would waken
A rude surprise to see his Artemis,
From the high-places where he shrined her, taken,
As if she were no coyer than Cypris,
And the pure dew from off her sweet mouth shaken,
The virgin dew, by mirth and mischief's kiss.
A rude surprise to see his Artemis,
From the high-places where he shrined her, taken,
As if she were no coyer than Cypris,
And the pure dew from off her sweet mouth shaken,
The virgin dew, by mirth and mischief's kiss.
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II.
Why did she let him not? because she loved him,
Because if he, why not some others too,
Because she'd have him think her chaste and true:
Why did he try? because it so behoved him.
Because if he, why not some others too,
Because she'd have him think her chaste and true:
Why did he try? because it so behoved him.
For had he not long worship to her offered,
Smiled with her smiles, grieved with her griefs, and talked
Sweet music of the heart, as oft they walked,
And love in every speech but tongue-speech proffered?
Smiled with her smiles, grieved with her griefs, and talked
Sweet music of the heart, as oft they walked,
And love in every speech but tongue-speech proffered?
Would she have let him with none by to see her?
Yes! had he dared defy her first fierce speech,
Pinion her struggles, flat-refuse to free her,
Kiss off her shame and anger, then beseech
Her love in spoken words, he might decree her
Submissive lips and hands to him to reach.
Yes! had he dared defy her first fierce speech,
Pinion her struggles, flat-refuse to free her,
Kiss off her shame and anger, then beseech
Her love in spoken words, he might decree her
Submissive lips and hands to him to reach.
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III.
Under the mistletoe, who holds her hands now
Out-stretched submissively, and yields her lips,
Without demur, to love's repeated sips,
Delighting in her newly-fitted bands now?
Out-stretched submissively, and yields her lips,
Without demur, to love's repeated sips,
Delighting in her newly-fitted bands now?
Is this the girl-Lucretia, who repelled him,
With crimson-mantling cheek and shrinking form,
And with reproach half-pleading and half-warm,
So that half-fear, half-penitence withheld him?
With crimson-mantling cheek and shrinking form,
And with reproach half-pleading and half-warm,
So that half-fear, half-penitence withheld him?
If she had suffered him in jest, she could not
Have yielded him so full a gift in fee;
If he had plundered her in jest, he would not
Have found his feast so rich when he was free,
And though his will in wrath she had withstood not,
Without the grace of self restrained would be.
Have yielded him so full a gift in fee;
If he had plundered her in jest, he would not
Have found his feast so rich when he was free,
And though his will in wrath she had withstood not,
Without the grace of self restrained would be.
| In Cornwall and Across the Sea | |