romantic poems

VOL. 2, C ANTIQUE 135

Love ! if thy destin'd sacrifice am I,
Come, slay thy victim, and prepare thy fires;
Plung'd in thy depths of mercy, let me die
The death, which every soul that lives desires!

I watch my hours, and see them fleet away;
The time is long, that I have languish'd here;
Yet all my thoughts thy purposes obey,
With no reluctance, cheerful and sincere.

I paintedrouge on my lips,
and kissed the trunk of a new birch,
even if I were a handsome man,
on my chest are no breasts likerubber balls,
from my skin rises no fragrance of finetexturedpowder,
I am a wizened man of ill fate,
ah, what a pitiable man,
in today's balmy early summer field,
in a stand of glistening trees,
I slipped on my hands sky blue gloves,
put around my waist something like acorset,
smeared on my nape something like nape powder,
thus hushed assuming a coquettishpose,
as young girls do,

"Love me, for I love you"--and answer me,
"Love me, for I love you": so shall we stand
As happy equals in the flowering land
Of love, that knows not a dividing sea.
Love builds the house on rock and not on sand,
Love laughs what while the winds rave desperately;
And who hath found love's citadel unmanned?
And who hath held in bonds love's liberty?--
My heart's a coward though my words are brave--
We meet so seldom, yet we surely part
So often; there's a problem for your art!
Still I find comfort in his Book who saith,

Language has not the power to speak what love indites:
The Soul lies buried in the ink that writes.

I dream'd we both were in a bed
Of Roses, almost smothered:
The warmth and sweetnes had me there
Made lovingly familiar:
But that I heard thy sweet breath say,
Faults done by night, will blush by day:
I kist thee (panting,) and I call
Night to the Record! that was all.
But ah! if empty dreames so please,
Love, give me more such nights as these.

I do not love to wed,
Though I do like to woo;
And for a maidenhead
I'll beg and buy it too.

I'll praise and I'll approve
Those maids that never vary;
And fervently I'll love,
But yet I would not marry.

I'll hug, I'll kiss, I'll play,
And, cock-like, hens I'll tread,
And sport in any way
But in the bridal bed.

For why? that man is poor
Who hath but one of many,
But crown'd he is with store
That, single, may have many.

Why, then, say what is he,
To freedom so unknown,

I bring ye love, Quest. What will love do?
Ans. Like, and dislike ye:
I bring ye love: Quest. What will love do?
Ans. Stroake ye to strike ye.
I bring ye love: Quest. What will Love do?
Ans. Love will be-foole ye:
I bring ye love: Quest. What will love do?
Ans. Heate ye to coole ye:
I bring ye love: Quest. What will love do?
Ans. Love gifts will send ye:
I bring ye love: Quest. What will love do?
Ans. Stock ye to spend ye:
I bring ye love: Quest. What will love do?
Ans. Love will fulfill ye:

VERSE

The poets say that all who love are blind,
But I'm in love and I know what time it is!
The Good Book says, " Go seek and ye shall find. "
Well, I have sought and, my, what a climb it is!
My life is just like the weather,
It changes with the hours.
When he's near I'm fair and warmer,
When he's gone I'm cloudy with showers.
In emotion, like the ocean it's either sink or swim
When a woman loves a man like I love him.

REFRAIN 1

Written on an Incident, Read in a Periodical.

The mother's face looked tired and worn,
While speaking of her son;
The good man listened earnestly,
As she went sadly on,

Telling of days of weariness,
And nights of earnest prayer,
All, all for him, whose soul had been
Her heart's most anxious care.

" You'll speak to him? " at last, she said,
" Perhaps, your clearer sight

(with Billy Rose)

VERSE

Man, you funny thing,
Don't you know it's Spring?
Ev'ry bench and swing
Discovers lovers.
Here we sit and sit
While the moon is lit.
Am I feeling happy?
Not a bit.

REFRAIN 1

I wanna be loved with inspiration,
I wanna be loved starting tonight.
Instead of merely holding conversation,
Hold me tight!
I wanna be loved, I crave affection,
Those kisses of yours
I'd gladly share.
I want your eyes to shine in my direction.