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Home  »  Poetica Erotica  »  “Upon a Sunshine Summer’s Day”

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

“Upon a Sunshine Summer’s Day”

Anonymous
 
(From Pills to Purge Melancholy, 1707)

UPON a sunshine Summer’s day,
When every Tree was green and gay;
The Morning blusht with Phœbus ray,
Just then ascending from the Sea:
As Sylvia did a Hunting ride,        5
A lovely Cottage he espied;
Where lovely Chloe Spinning sat,
And still she turned her Wheel about.
 
Her Face a Thousand Graces crown,
Her curling Hair was lovely brown;        10
Her rolling Eyes all Hearts did win,
And white as Down of Swans her Skin:
So taking her plain Dress appears,
Her Age not passing Sixteen Years,
The Swain lay sighing at her Foot,        15
Yet still she turned her Wheel about.
 
Thou sweetest of thy tender kind,
Cries he, this ne’er can suit thy Mind;
Such Grace attracting noble Loves,
Was ne’er designed for Woods and Groves:        20
Come, come with me, to Court, my Dear,
Partake my Love and Honor there;
And leave this Rural sordid route,
And turn no more thy Wheel about.
 
At this with some few Modest sighs,        25
She turns to him her Charming Eyes;
Ah! tempt me, Sir, no more, she cries,
Nor seek my Weakness to surprise:
I know your Art’s to be believed,
I know how Virgins are deceived;        30
Then let me thus my Life wear out,
And turn my harmless Wheel about.
 
By that dear panting Breast, cries he,
And yet unseen divinity;
Nay, by my Soul that rests in thee,        35
I swear this cannot, must not be:
Ah! cause not my eternal woe,
Nor kill the Man that Loves thee so;
But go with me, and ease my doubt,
And turn no more thy Wheel about.        40
 
His cunning Tongue so play’d its part,
He gain’d admission to her Heart;
And now she thinks it is no Sin,
To take Love’s fatal poison in:
But ah! too late she found her fault,        45
For he her Charms had soon forgot;
And left her e’er the Year ran out,
In Tears to turn her Wheel about.