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Home  »  Poetica Erotica  »  The Bunch of Rushes

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

The Bunch of Rushes

Anonymous
 
(Date unknown)

IT was on a summer’s morning,
  As I walked forth to take the air,
Down by a shady arbour,
  Where seldom strangers do appear
I espied a comely fair maid,        5
  Who I thought was going astray,
With a bunch of rushes in her hand,
  Which she had pulled on the way.
 
I cast my eyes around me,
  To see if the coast was clear or no;        10
And seeing no one near me,
  Straight way to her I then did go,
Says I, my loving fair one,
  What are you doing here alone?
I came to pull green rushes,        15
  But now I’m going home.
 
I clasp’d my arms around her,
  And embraced her most tenderly,
She modestly rebuk’d me, saying,
  Kind sir, you make too free;        20
Do you mean to undo me,
  Because I look both poor and low,
I beg you for to excuse me,
  Pray, loose me, sir, and let me go.
 
I says, my lovely charmer,        25
  To you I mean no injury;
But come and sit beside me,
  Beneath yon wide and shady tree,
Where the lofty lark and linnet,
  Shall witness our mutual love,        30
And I shall never deceive you,
  By all the powers above.
 
She then modestly consented,
  And on the grass we both sat down,
And for fear of any moisture,        35
  Beneath she spread her new silk gown
She says, young man, be easy,
  Her cheeks were red with blushes, O
I beg you will not tease me,
  Don’t touch my bunch of rushes, O.        40
 
But now, sir, you are going,
  Pray, when shall we meet again,
I answered in a few words,
  When the clerk shall say, amen.
So make yourself quite easy,        45
  And merry be while I’m away,
And bless the happy hour,
  You came to pull green rushes, O.