 | 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition |  |
WICKED OR WITCHED?
Grand with the splendour of youth, the pride
Born of an ancient race,
Breathed by the noble face,
Gaily he launched on the social tide,
Rippling with pearl and lace,
Dancing along with its welcome wide,
Flowers that fangs of serpents hide,
Spread on the charméd space;
Many a flatterer, none to chide
Footsteps that left a trace
Devious, dark, on the other side,
Down to the sunless place,
Born of an ancient race,
Breathed by the noble face,
Gaily he launched on the social tide,
Rippling with pearl and lace,
Dancing along with its welcome wide,
Flowers that fangs of serpents hide,
Spread on the charméd space;
Many a flatterer, none to chide
Footsteps that left a trace
Devious, dark, on the other side,
Down to the sunless place,
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Rich in the treasures of earthly gift,
Treasures that rest on sand,
Silver and gold and land,
Heritage won by the ages' thrift,
Won without blame or brand,
Courted he was by the friends, that shift
Always with every turn and drift,
Wave of an idle hand;
Careless the false from the true to sift,
Garland from iron band,
Blind to the doom and the opening rift,
Fate with its dire demand.
Treasures that rest on sand,
Silver and gold and land,
Heritage won by the ages' thrift,
Won without blame or brand,
Courted he was by the friends, that shift
Always with every turn and drift,
Wave of an idle hand;
Careless the false from the true to sift,
Garland from iron band,
Blind to the doom and the opening rift,
Fate with its dire demand.
Strong in the strength, that is given man
Yet unassoiled by years,
Stranger as yet to tears,
Indolent, prosperous, on he ran,
Making a jest of fears;
Sickness had found not a place in plan
Framed for eternity, not the span
Hedged as by hostile spears,
Blighted with sign of the curse, the ban
Tolling on mortal ears;
Merry each morn he anew began,
Under the sword that shears.
Yet unassoiled by years,
Stranger as yet to tears,
Indolent, prosperous, on he ran,
Making a jest of fears;
Sickness had found not a place in plan
Framed for eternity, not the span
Hedged as by hostile spears,
Blighted with sign of the curse, the ban
Tolling on mortal ears;
Merry each morn he anew began,
Under the sword that shears.
Dupe and delight of the Fortune, fair
Only to those that flout
Warning and honest doubt,
Shadows that darken and climb the stair,
Sighs beneath victor shout;
Favourite, fool of the summer air,
Tangled and tricked by a woman's hair,
Ruddy ripe lips that pout,
Dainty white hands that with his pair,
Eyes that would heroes rout;
Flattered at last into hell's despair,
Not to be flattered out.
Only to those that flout
Warning and honest doubt,
Shadows that darken and climb the stair,
Sighs beneath victor shout;
Favourite, fool of the summer air,
Tangled and tricked by a woman's hair,
Ruddy ripe lips that pout,
Dainty white hands that with his pair,
Eyes that would heroes rout;
Flattered at last into hell's despair,
Not to be flattered out.
| 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition | |