Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, JUPITER AND DANAEL OR, HOW TO WIN A WOMAN, by JOHN GODFREY SAXE


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JUPITER AND DANAEL OR, HOW TO WIN A WOMAN, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Imperial jove, who, with wonderful art
Last Line: Just open your purse, and come down with the dust.
Subject(s): Courtship


IMPERIAL Jove, who, with wonderful art,
Was one of those suitors that always prevail,
Once made an assault on so flinty a heart
That he feared for a while he was destined to fail.

A beautiful maiden, Miss Danae by name,
The Olympian lover endeavored to win;
But she peeped from the casement whenever he came,
Exclaiming, "You're handsome, but cannot come in!"

With sweet adulation he tickled her ear;
But still at her window she quietly sat,
And said, though his speeches were pleasant to hear,
She'd always been used to such homage as that!

Then he spoke, in a fervid and rapturous strain,
Of a bosom consuming with burning desire;
But his eloquent pleading was wholly in vain, --
She thought it imprudent to meddle with fire!

Then he begged her in mercy to pity his case,
And spoke of his dreadfully painful condition;
But the lady replied, with a sorrowful face,
She was only a maiden, and not a physician!

In vain with these cunning conventional snares,
To win her the gallant Lothario strove;
In spite of his smiles, and his tears, and his prayers,
She could n't, she would n't, be courted by Jove!
At last he contrived, -- so the story is told, --
By some means or other, one evening, to pour
Plump into her apron a shower of gold,
Which opened her heart, -- and unbolted her door!

MORAL.

Hence suitors may learn in matters of love
'T is idle in manners or merit to trust;
The only sure way is to imitate Jove, --
Just open your purse, and come down with the dust.





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