love poem

Love bitter-sweet — Sappho

1

Keep love and he wings,
with his bow,
up, mocking us,
keep love and he taunts us
and escapes.
Keep love and he sways apart
in another world,
outdistancing us
Keep love and he mocks,
ah, bitter and sweet,
your sweetness is more cruel
than your hurt
Honey and salt,
fire burst from the rocks
to meet fire
spilt from Hesperus.
Fire darted aloft and met fire:
in that moment

He and I sought together,
over the spattered table,
rhymes and flowers,
gifts for a name.

He said, among others,
I will bring
(and the phrase was just and good,
but not as good as mine,)
" the narcissus that loves the rain. "

We strove for a name,
while the light of the lamps burnt thin
and the outer dawn came in,
a ghost, the last at the feast
or the first,
to sit within
with the two that remained
to quibble in flowers and verse
over a girl's name.

Tune, Rothiemurchie

Chorus

Fairest maid on Devon banks,
Crystal Devon, winding Devon,
Wilt thou lay that frown aside,
And smile as thou wert wont to do.

1

Full well thou knowest I love thee dear,
Couldst thou to malice lend an ear!
O did not Love exclaim, " Forbear,
" Nor use a faithful lover so." —
Fairest maid &c.

2

Then come, thou fairest of the fair,

Tune, This is no my ain house —

O this is no my ain lassie,
Fair tho' the lassie be:
O weel ken I my ain lassie,
Kind love is in her e'e.

I see a form, I see a face,
Ye weel may wi' the fairest place:
It wants, to me, the witching grace,
The kind love that 's in her e'e.

O this is no my ain lassie,
Fair tho' the lassie be:
Weel ken I my ain lassie,
Kind love is in her e'e.

Tune, Deil tak the wars —

Mark yonder pomp of costly fashion,
Round the wealthy, titled bride:
But when compar'd with real passion,
Poor is all that princely pride.
What are their showy treasures,
What are their noisy pleasures,
The gay, gaudy glare of vanity and art:

Tune, Roy's Wife

Chorus

Canst thou leave me thus, my Katy,
Canst thou leave me thus, my Katy;
Well thou know'st my aching heart,
And canst thou leave me thus for pity. —

Is this thy plighted, fond regard,
Thus cruelly to part, my Katy:
Is this thy faithful swain's reward —
An aching broken heart, my Katy. —
Canst thou &c.

Farewel! and ne'er such sorrows tear

Ah, Chloris, since it may not be,
That thou of love wilt hear;
If from the lover thou maun flee,
Yet let the friend be dear.

Altho' I love my Chloris, mair
Than ever tongue could tell;
My passion I will ne'er declare —
I'll say, I wish thee well.

Tho' a' my daily care thou art,
And a' my nightly dream,
I'll hide the struggle in my heart,
And say it is esteem.

O mirk, mirk is this midnight hour,
And loud the tempest's roar:
A waefu' wanderer seeks thy tower,
Lord Gregory ope thy door.

An exile frae her father's ha',
And a' for loving thee;
At least some pity on me shaw,
If love it may na be.

Lord Gregory, mind'st thou not the grove,
By bonie Irwine-side,
Where first I own'd that virgin-love
I lang, lang had denied.

How aften didst thou pledge and vow,
Thou wad for ay be mine;
And my fond heart, itsel sae true,

My love she's but a lassie yet,
My love she's but a lassie yet;
We'll let her stand a year or twa,
She'll no be half sae saucy yet. —

I rue the day I sought her O,
I rue the day I sought her O,
Wha gets her needs na say he's woo'd,
But he may say he's bought her O. —

Come draw a drap o' the best o't yet,
Come draw a drap o' the best o't yet:
Gae seek for Pleasure whare ye will,
But here I never misst it yet. —

We're a' dry wi' drinking o't,
We're a' dry wi' drinking o't:

Go on, sweet bird, and soothe my care,
Thy tuneful notes will hush Despair;
Thy plaintive warblings void of art
Thrill sweetly thro' my aching heart.
Now chuse thy mate, and fondly love,
And all the charming transport prove;
While I a lovelorn exile live,
Nor transport or receive or give.

For thee is laughing Nature gay;
For thee she pours the vernal day:
For me in vain is Nature drest,
While joy's a stranger to my breast!

These sweet emotions all enjoy;
Let love and song thy hours employ!