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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ROSAMUNDA (AFTER A PIEDMONTESE BALLAD) by AGNES MARY F. ROBINSON

First Line: AH, LOVE ME, ROSAMUNDA
Last Line: "A DEAD WOMAN AM I."
"AH, love me, Rosamunda,
Now love me or I die!"
-- "Alas, how shall I love thee?
A wedded wife am I."

-- "And wilt thou, Rosamunda,
We put the man away?"
-- "Alas, how should we do it?"
-- "To-day or any day!

"Within thy mother's garden
An asp is in the vine:
Go, bray it in a mortar
And put it in his wine."

-- "Ho, wife! Ho, Rosamunda!
Where art thou, low or high?
For I am home from hunting
And sore athirst am I."

-- "The wine is in the goblet,
The wine is in the cup.
It stands upon the cupboard shelf;
Go, lift the cover up."

-- "Ho, wife! Ho, Rosamunda!
Come hither, come and see;
The good red wine is troubled...
How came this thing to be?"

-- "The sea wind yester even
Hath troubled it, I think."
-- "Come hither, Rosamunda!
Come hither, come and drink!"

-- "Alas, how shalt I drink it
When I am not athirst?"
-- "Come hither, Rosamunda,
Come here and drink the first."

-- "Alas, how shall I drink it,
That never drank of wine?"
-- "Thou'lt quaff it, Rosamunda,
By this drawn sword of mine!"

-- "I drink it to my lover,
I drink it, and I die!
My lover is the king of France --
A dead woman am I."



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