T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
Amyntas
Anonymous(From Bristol Drollery, 1674) AFTER long service, and a thousand vows | |
To her glad Lover, she more kindness shows: | |
Oft had Amyntas with her tresses played, | |
When the Sun’s vigour drove ’em to a shade; | |
And many a time he had given her a green Gown; | 5 |
And oft he kist her when he had her down. | |
With signs and motions he to her made known | |
What fain he wou’d have done, then with a frown | |
She wou’d forbid him, till the minute came | |
That she no longer could conceal her flame. | 10 |
The Am’rous Shepherd forward to espie | |
Love’s yielding motions triumph in her eye. | |
With eager transport, strait himself addrest, | |
To taste the pleasure of so rich a feast, | |
When with resistance, and a seeming flight, | 15 |
As ’twere t’increase her Lover’s appetite; | |
Unto a place where flowers thicker grew, | |
Out of his arms, as swift as air she flew: | |
Daphne ne’er run so light and fast as she, | |
When from the God’s she fled, and turn’d t’a Tree. | 20 |
The Youth pursu’d, nor needs he run amain, | |
Since she intended to be overta’en. | |
He drop’t no Apple, nor no golden ball, | |
To stay her flight, for she herself did fall. | |
Where, ’mongst the Flowers, like Flora’s self she lay, | 25 |
To gain more breath, that she might los’t in play: | |
She pluckt a Flower, and at Amyntas threw, | |
When he addrest to crop a flower too. | |
Then a faint strife she seemed to renew, | |
She smil’d, she frown’d, she wou’d, and wou’d not do. | 30 |
At length o’ercome, she suffers with a sigh, | |
Her ravish’d Lover use his Victory: | |
And gave him leave to punish her delay, | |
With double vigour in the Amorous fray. | |
And then, alas! soon ended the delight, | 35 |
For too much Love had hastn’ed its flight; | |
And ev’ry ravisht sense too soon awake, | |
Rap’t up in bliss it did but now partake: | |
Which left the Lovers in a state to prove, | |
Long were the pains, but short the joys of Love. | 40 |