Young Jessica sat all the day, With heart o'er idle love-thoughts pining; Her needle bright beside her lay, So active once!--now idly shining. Ah, Jessy, 'tis in idle hearts That love and mischief are most nimble; The safest shield against the darts Of Cupid is Minerva's thimble. The child who with a magnet plays Well knowing all its arts, so wily, The tempter near a needle lays. And laughing says, "We'll steal it slily." The needle, having naught to do, Is pleased to let the magnet wheedle; Till closer, closer come the two, And--off, at length, elopes the needle. Now, had this needle turned its eye To some gay reticule's construction, It ne'er had strayed from duty's tie, Nor felt the magnet's sly seduction. Thus, girls, would you keep quiet hearts, Your snowy fingers must be nimble; The safest shield against the darts Of Cupid is Minerva's thimble. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MOTHER AND SON by KAREN SWENSON THE PLANTING OF THE APPLE TREE by WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT HIS GRANGE, OR PRIVATE WEALTH by ROBERT HERRICK WHEN I WAS YOUNG by IRMA TIBBETTS ANDREWS BLACK GIRL by ASCLEPIADES OF SAMOS EXODUS 15. SONG OF ISRAEL FOR THE OVERTHROW OF EGYPT IN THE RED SEA by OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE |