'TWAS in the fair Aspasia's bower, That Love and Learning, many an hour, In dalliance met, and Learning smiled With rapture on the playful child, Who wanton stole, to find his nest Within a fold of Learning's vest! There, as the listening statesman hung In transport on Aspasia's tongue, The destinies of Athens took Their colour from Aspasia's look. Oh, happy time! when laws of state, When all that ruled the country's fate, Its glory, quiet, or alarms, Was plann'd between two snowy arms! Sweet times! you could not always last -- And yet, oh! yet, you @3are@1 not past; Though we have lost the sacred mould, In which their men were cast of old, Woman, dear woman, still the same, While lips are balm and looks are flame, While man possesses heart or eyes, Woman's bright empire never dies! Fanny, my love, they ne'er shall say, That beauty's charm hath pass'd away; No -- give the universe a soul Attuned to woman's soft control, And Fanny hath the charm, the skill To wield a universe at will! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE EVENING WIND by WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT CHANGE by WILLIAM DEAN HOWELLS SONG, FR. THE TWO GENTELEM OF VERONA by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE SONNETS OF MANHOOD: 12. VENUS by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) THE COMPLAINT OF POETIE, FOR THE DEATH OF LIBERALITE by RICHARD BARNFIELD TO ROBERT CALVERLEY TREVELYAN & ELIZABETH TREVELYAN by GORDON BOTTOMLEY AN OFFERING by ANNE MILLAY BREMER |