"Now who shall say he loves me not." He wooed her first in an atmosphere Of tender and low-breathed sighs; But the pang of her laugh went cutting clear To the soul of the enterprise; "You beg so pert for the kiss you seek It reminds me, John," she said, "Of a poodle pet that jumps to 'speak' For a crumb or a crust of bread." And flashing up, with the blush that flushed His face like a tableau-light, Came a bitter threat that his white lips hushed To a chill, hoarse-voiced "Good night!" And again her laugh, like a knell that tolled, And a wide-eyed mock surprise, -- "Why, John," she said, "you have taken cold In the chill air of your sighs!" And then he turned, and with teeth tight clenched, He told her he hated her, -- That his love for her from his heart he wrenched Like a corpse from a sepulcher. And then she called him "a ghoul all red With the quintessence of crimes" -- "But I know you love me now," she said, And kissed him a hundred times. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FLOWERS WITHOUT FRUIT by JOHN HENRY NEWMAN TO HELEN (1) by EDGAR ALLAN POE MAY (1) by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI A SWING SONG by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM A LAMENT FOR PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY by WILLIAM EDMONSTOUNE AYTOUN |