Classic Poem

If only once for every perjured oath,
Each broken tryst and troth,
One punishment, one scar, one cheek too pale,
One broken finger-nail;
If but one blemish would appear and grieve you,
I might believe you.

But in your case, with every faithless vow
You sparkle more somehow;
You go abroad to break, with bright untruth,
The hearts of all our youth;
You swear still falsely by the gods above you—
And still they love you!

Yes, Venus gossips with her laughing crew,
While every Nymph laughs too;
And even Cupid, busy at his art,
Pointing the fiery dart,
In spite of all his labors pauses nightly,
And chuckles lightly.

Beguiled by you the lad grows up your slave,
Freed only by the grave.
And though he leaves you, though the new-wed spouse
Forsakes your godless house,
He comes back pleading at your doors for mercy—
Light-hearted Circe!