Classic Poem

Poets in elder days, have in their dreams
Imagin'd such a lovely thing as thou!
And of such eyes, beneath that glorious brow,
Have noble painters partly caught the gleams; —
So Aphrodite looked when she uprose,
Fairer by far than the sea-foam she clove,
So Helen, when a thousand monarchs strove
For her celestial beauty; — may be, those
Were but the fond creations of some youth,
Who had drank in all beauty, till he grew
Mad with his own conception, and so drew
Unreal fancies in the guise of truth; —
Yet, fairest Lady, while on thee I gaze,
More truth-like seem, methinks, those tales of ancient days!