The Moon Sings

The Moon, in her pride, once glancëd aside
——Her eyes and espied the Day,
As unto his bed, in waistcoat of red,
——Fair Phoebus him led the way;
Such changes of thought in her chastity wrought,
——That thus she besought the boy:
‘O tarry and marry the starry Diana
That will be thy gem and joy!

‘I will be as bright at noon as at night,
——If that may delight the Day;
Come hither and join thy glories with mine,
——Together we 'll shine for aye:
The night shall be noon, and every moon
——As pleasant as June or May;
O tarry and marry the starry Diana
That will be thy gem and joy!

‘Enamoured of none, I live chaste and alone,
——Though courted of one, some say;
And true if it were, so frivolous fear
——Let never my dear dismay;
I 'll change my opinion, and turn my old minion,
——The sleepy Endymion, away;
O tarry and marry the starry Diana
That will be thy gem and joy!’

And but that the night should have wanted her light,
——Or lovers in sight should play,
Or Phoebus should shame to bestow such a dame
——(With a dower of his flame) on a boy,
Or day should appear eternally here,
——And night otherwhere, the Day
Had tarried and married the starry'd Diana,
And she been his gem and joy.

The Moon, in her pride, once glancëd aside
——Her eyes and espied the Day,
As unto his bed, in waistcoat of red,
——Fair Phoebus him led the way;
Such changes of thought in her chastity wrought,
——That thus she besought the boy:
‘O tarry and marry the starry Diana
That will be thy gem and joy!

‘I will be as bright at noon as at night,
——If that may delight the Day;
Come hither and join thy glories with mine,
——Together we 'll shine for aye:
The night shall be noon, and every moon
——As pleasant as June or May;
O tarry and marry the starry Diana
That will be thy gem and joy!

‘Enamoured of none, I live chaste and alone,
——Though courted of one, some say;
And true if it were, so frivolous fear
——Let never my dear dismay;
I 'll change my opinion, and turn my old minion,
——The sleepy Endymion, away;
O tarry and marry the starry Diana
That will be thy gem and joy!’

And but that the night should have wanted her light,
——Or lovers in sight should play,
Or Phoebus should shame to bestow such a dame
——(With a dower of his flame) on a boy,
Or day should appear eternally here,
——And night otherwhere, the Day
Had tarried and married the starry'd Diana,
And she been his gem and joy.
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