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Home  »  A Book of Women’s Verse  »  Upon her Play being returned to Her Stained with Claret

J. C. Squire, ed. A Book of Women’s Verse. 1921.

By Mary Leapor (1722–1746)

Upon her Play being returned to Her Stained with Claret

WELCOME, dear wanderer, once more!

Thrice welcome to thy native cell!

Within this peaceful humble door

Let thou and I contented dwell!

But say, O whither hast thou rang’d?

Why dost thou blush a crimson hue?

Thy fair complexion ’s greatly chang’d:

Why, I can scarce believe ’tis you.

Then tell, my son, O tell me, where

Didst thou contract this sottish dye?

You kept ill company, I fear,

When distant from your parent’s eye.

Was it for this, O graceless child,

Was it for this you learn’d to spell?

Thy face and credit both are spoil’d;

Go drown thyself in yonder well.

I wonder how thy time was spent:

No news (alas!) hast thou to bring?

Hast thou not climb’d the Monument?

Nor seen the lions, nor the King?

But now I’ll keep you here secure:

No more you view the smoaky sky:

The court was never made (I’m sure)

For idiots, like thee and I.