The White Pilgrim and Other Poems By Herman Charles Merivale |
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MDLLE. CROIZETTE IN “THE SPHINX.” |
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 | The White Pilgrim and Other Poems |  |
119
MDLLE. CROIZETTE IN “THE SPHINX.”
In a town we know
(And I love it dearly),
Where the painters show
Pretty pictures yearly,
There was one on view—
If your thoughts you force back
Just a year or two—
Of a girl on horseback.
(And I love it dearly),
Where the painters show
Pretty pictures yearly,
There was one on view—
If your thoughts you force back
Just a year or two—
Of a girl on horseback.
Dainty little dame!
Neat her waistie's span was;
And the painter's name
Carolus Duran was.
Ne'er before had girls
Such inviting noses,
Teeth so like to pearls,
Peeping out of roses.
Neat her waistie's span was;
And the painter's name
Carolus Duran was.
Ne'er before had girls
Such inviting noses,
Teeth so like to pearls,
Peeping out of roses.
And there shone a light
In the saucy eye, which
Made you pass the night,
Dreaming of the sly witch,
Rivals scattering
In a general set-to,
All the spoils to bring
Mdlle. Croizette to—
In the saucy eye, which
Made you pass the night,
Dreaming of the sly witch,
120
In a general set-to,
All the spoils to bring
Mdlle. Croizette to—
Saying: “I adore
E'en the chair you sit on;
Have some pity for
A distracted Briton!
Lived I up a tree,
Slept I in a barn, it
Would be bliss with thee,
Comedy incarnate!”
E'en the chair you sit on;
Have some pity for
A distracted Briton!
Lived I up a tree,
Slept I in a barn, it
Would be bliss with thee,
Comedy incarnate!”
Thus I thought of you,
Prettiest of minxes!
Is't the same, then, who
Acting in “The Sphinx” is?
Changing us to stones,
Chilling all our blood in
All our marrowbones,
Dying on a sudden?—
Prettiest of minxes!
Is't the same, then, who
Acting in “The Sphinx” is?
Changing us to stones,
Chilling all our blood in
All our marrowbones,
Dying on a sudden?—
Turning hot to cold?
Thrilling all the pit—ex-
Pecting to be told
Next day by the critics,
In their ancient song,
That—it wouldn't do; that
This was much too strong;—
Nothing very new that.
Thrilling all the pit—ex-
Pecting to be told
Next day by the critics,
In their ancient song,
That—it wouldn't do; that
This was much too strong;—
Nothing very new that.
121
“Surely as my wife
Wears another's back-tress,”
Quoth I, “on my life,
You were born an actress!”
And your graceful form
While my greedy eyes ate,
Thus my fancy warm
Rhymed you, pretty Croizette!
Wears another's back-tress,”
Quoth I, “on my life,
You were born an actress!”
And your graceful form
While my greedy eyes ate,
Thus my fancy warm
Rhymed you, pretty Croizette!
Paris, 1874.
| The White Pilgrim and Other Poems | |