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Home  »  Poetica Erotica  »  The Silent Flute

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

The Silent Flute

Anonymous
 
(1720; broadside song with music: in Musical Miscellany, 1729)

AS Damon late with Cloe sat,
  They talked of am’rous Blisses;
Kind things he said, which she repaid,
  In pleasing Smiles and Kisses
With tuneful Tongue of Love he sung;        5
  She thanked him for his Ditty,
But said one Day she heard him say,
  The Flute was mighty pretty.
 
Young Damon, who her Meaning knew,
  Took out his Pipe to charm her;        10
And while he strove, with wanton Love,
  And sprightly Airs, to warm her;
She begged the Swain to play one Strain,
  In all the softest Measure,
Whose Killing Sound would sweetly wound,        15
  And make her die with Pleasure.
 
Eager to do’t, he takes the Flute,
  And ev’ry Accent traces,
Love trickling thro’ his Fingers flew,
  And whispered melting Graces:        20
He did his Part with wond’rous Art,
  Expecting Praises after;
But she instead of falling dead,
  Burst out into a Laughter.
 
Taking the Hint, as Cloe meant,        25
  Said he, My Dear, be easy;
I have a Flute, which, tho’ ’tis mute,
  May play a Tune to please ye:
Then down he laid the charming Maid,
  He found her kind and willing;        30
He played again, and tho’ each Strain
  Was silent, yet ’twas Killing.
 
Fair Cloe soon approved the Tune,
  And vowed he played divinely;
Let’s have it o’er, said she, once more,        35
  It goes exceeding finely:
The Flute is good, that’s made of Wood,
  And is, I own, the neatest;
Yet ne’ertheless, I must confess,
  The silent Flute’s the sweetest.        40