A Pretty Woman

I.

That fawn-skin-dappled hair of hers,

And the blue eye

Dear and dewy,

And that infantine fresh air of hers!

II.

To think men cannot take you, Sweet,

And enfold you,

Ay, and hold you,

And so keep you what they make you, Sweet!

III

You like us for a glance, you know—-

For a word's sake

Or a sword's sake,

All's the same, whate'er the chance, you know.

IV.

And in turn we make you ours, we say—-

You and youth too,

Eyes and mouth too,

All the face composed of flowers, we say.

V.

All's our own, to make the most of, Sweet—-

Sing and say for,

Watch and pray for,

Keep a secret or go boast of, Sweet!

VI.

But for loving, why, you would not, Sweet,

Though we prayed you,

Paid you, brayed you

in a mortar—-for you could not, Sweet!