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Home  »  Poetica Erotica  »  The Willing Mida

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

The Willing Mida

Anonymous
 
(From MS. in the British Museum, c. 1682)

MIDA, the glory of whose beauties’ rays
Gain’d heaven’s high wonder, and earth’s best praise,
She, Thirsis met, both faire and lovely too;
He liked her well, but knew not how to woo.
 
They, arm in arm, into the garden walked,        5
Where endless riddles all the day they talked;
Her speech and motion wisely had an end,
Yet knew he not whereto they did attend.
 
She, grieved to see his youth no better taught,
To gather him a posy he her besought:        10
With that, her light say gown she then up tuckt,
And “May” for him, and “Tyme” for her, she pluckt.
 
Which, when she brought, he took her by the middle,
And kist her oft, but could not read the riddle:
“Oh, fool!” quoth she, and so burst into laughter,        15
Blusht, ran away, and scorn’d him ever after.