Classic Poem

Calm was the Evening and clear was the Sky
when the new budding flowers do spring,
When all alone went Amintas and I
to hear the sweet nightingales sing.
I sate and he laid him down by me,
and scarcely his breath he could draw,
But when with a fear,
He begun to draw near,
He was dasht with a ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.

He blusht to himself and lay still for a while
and his modesty curb'd his desire,
But strait I convinc'd all his fears with a smile
and added new flames to his fire:
Ah, Silvia, said he, thou art cruel,
to keep thy poor lover in awe,
And once more he prest
His hands to my brest,
But was dasht with a & c.

I know 'twas his passion which caused all his fear,
and therefore I pittied his case,
I whispered him softly, there was nobody near,
and I laid my cheek close to his face:
But as he grew bolder and bolder,
a Shepherd came by us and saw,
And just as our bliss
Began with a kiss,
He burst out, & c.

Come my own dear, lets retire a while,
and hasten us down to the Grove,
Where in some shade
That nature hath made,
We'l make a rehearsal of love,
And when with love tales we are tired,
and occasion does bid us withdraw,
We then from our feat,
Will make a retreat,
And laugh out, & c.

I having consented, away we did go,
and found out the thick of the Wood;
But when we came there,
I began for to fear,
His meaning portended no good:
My beauty likewise he would oftentimes praise,
for the rarest that ever he saw,
And there he would skip,
From my hand to my lip,
But was dasht with a ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.

Sometimes he wou'd sigh, and sometimes he wou'd weep,
and pray me to pitty his case;
But I found out by that
What he would be at,
His meaning I read in his face:
I bid him desist and give over his suit,
For I told him my Will was a law,
And if he were pleas'd
To have his pain eas'd,
He must laugh, & c.

You know, said Amintas, how long I have lov'd,
my desire,
And now with your scorn,
,
You seek to extinguish my fire.
My vertue will justifie all that I do,
to keep you at distance and awe:
And your loose desire
Will sooner expire,
Then mirth, & c.

He sat like a Mute, and was still for a while,
consulting what answer to make,
When all in hast
He imbraced my Wast,
And no more denyals would take.
He vow'd, though my heart it were frozen,
his indeavour he'd use, it to thaw;
If the heat of your blood
Could do any good,
Which made & c.

I found that his passion began to Rebel,
and Reason no more could prevail,
Thought I to myself,
I am now on a shelf,
And know not which way for to fall;
But if by my Policy I can get off,
and my honor preserve without flaw,
Ile ingage me no more,
On such dangerous shore,
But at home, & c.

I used some perswasions that Evening was nigh,
for the Sun it began to decline,
And fearing some Swain,
Of the neighboring plain,
Might come for to water his Kine;
I pray'd him return and walk softly along,
when 'twas dark i'd submit to his law,
Where in my own Bower,
For the space of an hour
He should kiss, & c.

His thoughts being transported with joy, he conceiv'd,
ne're feared, but my promise i'd keep,
But instead of a Wench,
He found such a Drench,
As charm'd all his senses a sleep:
The vertue whereof through his vitals disperst
and his faculties purer did draw;
And when I had done,
Away I did run,
And laught out with a ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.