IN Cyprus sat fair Venus by a fount, Wanton Adonis toying on her knee: She kiss'd the wag, her darling of account; The boy gan blush; which when his lover see, She smil'd, and told him love might challenge debt, And he was young, and might be wanton yet. The boy wax'd bold, firèd by fond desire, That woo he could and court her with conceit: Reason spied this, and sought to quench the fire With cold disdain; but wily Adon straight Cheer'd up the flame, and said, "Good sir, what let? I am but young, and may be wanton yet." Reason replied, that beauty was a bane To such as feed their fancy with fond love, That when sweet youth with lust is overta'en, It rues in age: this could not Adon move, For Venus taught him still this rest to set, That he was young, and might be wanton yet. Where Venus strikes with beauty to the quick, It little 'vails sage Reason to reply; Few are the cares for such as are love-sick, But love: then, though I wanton it awry, And play the wag, from Adon this I get,— I am but young, and may be wanton yet. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...REMEMBERED MUSIC; A FRAGMENT by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL THE FLIGHT OF YOUTH by RICHARD HENRY STODDARD PLAYING IT SAFE by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS THE RUNNER WITH THE LOTS by LEONIE ADAMS TO HELEN KELLER by FRANCES BEEBE MUFFLED by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN THE WIND AND THE WHIRLWIND by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT THE INVENTORY, IN ANSWER TO ... SURVEYOR OF TXAES by ROBERT BURNS |