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Home  »  Poetica Erotica  »  The Power of Love

T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.

The Power of Love

Anonymous
 
(From The Musical Miscellany, c. 1729)

AT dead of Night, when wrapt in Sleep
  The peaceful Cottage lay,
Pastora left her folded Sheep,
Her Garland, Crook, and useless Scrip;
  Love led the Nymph a-stray.        5
 
His eager Arms the Nymph embrace,
  And, so assuage his Pain,
His restless Passion he obeys:
At such an Hour, in such a Place,
  What Lover could contain?        10
 
In vain she call’d the conscious Moon,
  The Moon no Succour gave:
The cruel Stars unmoved, looked on,
And seemed to smile at what was done,
  Nor would her Honour save.        15
 
Vanquished at last, by powerful Love,
  The Nymph expiring lay;
No more she sighed, no more she strove,
Since no kind Stars were found above,
  She blushed and died away.        20
 
Yet blest the Grove, her conscious Flight,
  And Youth, that did betray;
And panting, dying with Delight,
She blest the kind transporting Night,
  And cursed approaching Day.        25