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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


CHLOE by CHARLES MORDAUNT

First Line: I SAID TO MY HEART, BETWEEN SLEEPING AND WAKING
Last Line: WOULD ONE THINK, THAT MY CHLOE NEVER THOUGHT IS WAS SHE.
Subject(s): LOVE; MODESTY;

I said to my Heart, between sleeping and waking,
Thou wild Thing, that ever art leaping or aching,
For the Black, for the Fair; In what Clime, in what Nation,
Hast thou not felt a Fit of Pitapatation?

..Thus accused, the wild Thing have this serious Reply:
See the Heart without Motion, though @3Celia@1 pass by;
Not the Beauty she has, nor the Wit that she borrows,
Give the Eye any Joys, or the Heart any Sorrows.

When our @3Sappho@1 appears, whose Wit's so refined,
I am forced to admire with the rest of Mankind:
Whatever she says is with Spirit and Fire;
Every Word I attend, but I only admire.

@3Prudenia@1, as vainly too, puts in her Claim;
Ever gazing on Heaven, though Man is her Aim.
'Tis Love, not Devotion, that turns up her Eyes:
Those Stars of the World are too good for the Skies.

But my @3Chloe@1, so lovely, so easy, so fair;
Her Wit so genteel, without Art, without Care;
When she comes in my Way, Oh! the Motion and Pain,
The Leapings and Achings, they return all again.

Thou wonderful Creature! A Woman of Reason!
Never grave out of Pride, never gay out of Season!
When so easy to guess, who this Angel should be,
Would one think, that my @3Chloe@1 never thought is was she.



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