Classic Poem

Tune on my pipe the praises of my Love,
Love fair and bright;
Fill earth with sound, and airy heavens above,
Heavens Jove's delight,
With Daphnis' praise.

To pleasant Tempe groves and plains about,
Plains shepherd's pride,
Resounding echoes of her praise ring out,
Ring far and wide
My Daphnis' praise.

When I begin to sing, begin to sound,
Sounds loud and shrill,
Do make each note unto the sky rebound,
Skies calm and still,
With Daphnis' praise.

Her tresses are like wires of beaten gold,
Gold bright and sheen,
Like Nisus' golden hair that Scylla polled,
Scylla o'erseen
Through Minos' love.

Her eyes like shining lamps in midst of night,
Night dark and dead,
Or as the stars that give the seamen light,
Light for to lead
Their wandering ships.

Amidst her cheeks the rose and lily strive,
Lily snow-white,
When their contend doth make their colour thrive,
Colour too bright
For shepherds' eyes.

Her lips like scarlet of the finest dye,
Scarlet blood-red;
Teeth white as snow which on the hills doth lie,
Hills overspread
By winter's force.

Her skin as soft as is the finest silk,
Silk soft and fine,
Of colour like unto the whitest milk,
Milk of the kine
Of Daphnis' herd.

As swift of foot as is the pretty roe,
Roe swift of pace,
When yelping hounds pursue her to and fro,
Hounds fierce in chase,
To reave her life.

Cease tongue to tell of any more compares,
Compares too rude,
Daphnis' deserts and beauty are too rare:
Then here conclude
Fair Daphnis' praise.