CANTO THE FIRST. COURTSHIP. Fairest of earth! if thou wilt hear my vow, Lo! at thy feet I swear to love thee ever; And by this kiss upon thy radiant brow, Promise affection which no time shall sever; And love which e'er shall burn as bright as now, To be extinguished—never, dearest, never! Wilt thou that naughty, fluttering heart resign? CATHERINE! my own sweet Kate! wilt thou be mine? Thou shalt have pearls to deck thy raven hair— Thou shalt have all this world of ours can bring, And we will live in solitude, nor care For aught save for each other. We will fling Away all sorrow—Eden shall be there! And thou shalt be my queen, and I thy king! Still coy, and still reluctant? Sweetheart say, When shall we monarchs be? and which the day? CANTO THE SECOND. MATRIMONY. Now, Mrs. Pringle, once for all, I say I will not such extravagance allow! Bills upon bills, and larger every day, Enough to drive a man to drink, I vow! Bonnets, gloves, frippery and trash—nay, nay, Tears, Mrs. Pringle, will not gull me now— I say I won't allow ten pounds a week; I can't afford it; madam, do not speak! In wedding you I thought I had a treasure; I find myself most miserably mistaken! You rise at ten, then spend the day in pleasure;— In fact, my confidence is slightly shaken. Ha! what's that uproar? This, ma'am, is my leisure; Sufficient noise the slumbering dead to waken! I seek retirement, and I find—a riot; Confound those children, but I'll make them quiet! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ON BEING ASKED TO WRITE A POEM AGAINST THE WAR IN VIETNAM by HAYDEN CARRUTH ON TALK OF PEACE AT THIS TIME by ROBERT FROST THE SEMANTICS OF FLOWERS ON MEMORIAL DAY by BOB HICOK LET ME NOT HATE by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: JUDGE SELAH LIVELY by EDGAR LEE MASTERS |