T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
Cloris, Now Thou Art Fled away
Anonymous(From Sportive Wit: the Muses’ Merriment, 1656) |
CLORIS, since thou art gone astray, | |
| Amyntas Shepherd’s fled away; | |
| And all the joys he wont to spy | |
| I’ th’ pretty babies of thine eye, | |
| Are gone; and she hath none to say | 5 |
| But who can help what will away, will away? | |
| The Green on which it was his chance | |
| To have her hand first in a dance, | |
| Among the merry Maiden-crew, | |
| Now making her nought but sigh and rue | 10 |
| The time she ere had cause to say | |
| Ah, who can help what will away, will away? | |
| The Lawn with which she wont to deck | |
| And circle in her whiter neck; | |
| Her Apron lies behind the door; | 15 |
| The strings won’t reach now as before: | |
| Which makes her oft cry well-a-day: | |
| But who can help what will away? | |
| He often swore that he would leave me, | |
| Ere of my heart he could bereave me: | 20 |
| But when the Sign was in the tail, | |
| He knew poor Maiden-flesh was frail; | |
| And laughs now I have nought to say, | |
| But who can help what will away. | |
| But let the blame upon me lie, | 25 |
| I had no heart him to deny: | |
| Had I another Maidenhead, | |
| I’d lose it ere I went to bed: | |
| For what can all the world more say, | |
| Than who can help what will away? | 30 |