T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
“Beneath a Cool Shade”
By Aphra Behn (1640–1689)(1697) BENEATH a cool shade, where some here have been, | |
| Convenient for Lovers, most pleasant and green, | |
| Alexis and Cloris lay pressing soft Flowers, | |
| With Kissing and Loving they past the dull hours. | |
| She close in his Arms with her head on his breast, | 5 |
| And fainting with pleasure; you guess at the rest: | |
| She blusht and she sigh’d with a Joy beyond measure, | |
| All ravisht with Billing and dying with Pleasure. | |
| But while thus in Transports extended they lay, | |
| A Handsome young Shepherd was passing that way. | 10 |
| She saw him and cry’d … oh, Alexis, betray’d! | |
| Oh what have you done … you have ruin’d a Maid; | |
| But the Shepherd, being modest, discreetly past by, | |
| And left ’em again at their leisure to die. | |
| And often they Languish’d with Joy beyond measure, | 15 |
| All Ravished with Billing and dying with Pleasure. | |