Classic Poem

When Love, who ruled as Admiral o'er
Has rosy mother's isles of light,
Was cruising off the Paphian shore,
A sail at sunset hove in sight.
" A chase, a chase! my Cupids all. "
Said Love, the little Admiral.

Aloft the winged sailors sprung,
And, swarming up the mast like bees,
The snow-white sails expanding flung,
Like broad magnolias to the breeze.
" Yo ho, yo ho, my Cupids all! "
Said Love, the little Admiral.

The chase was o'er — the bark was caught,
The winged crew her freight explored;
And found 't was just as Love had thought,
For all was contraband aboard.
" A prize, a prize, my Cupids all! "
Said Love, the little Admiral.

Safe stowed in many a package there,
And labelled slyly o'er, as " Glass, "
Were lots of all the illegal ware,
Love's Custom-House forbids to pass.
" O'erhaul, o'erhaul, my Cupids all, "
Said Love, the little Admiral.

False curls they found, of every hue,
With rosy blushes ready made;
And teeth of ivory, good as new,
For veterans in the smiling trade.
" Ho ho, ho ho, my Cupids all, "
Said Love, the little Admiral.

Mock sighs, too, — kept in bags for use,
Like breezes bought of Lapland seers, —
Lay ready here to be let loose,
When wanted, in young spinsters' ears.
" Ha ha, ha ha, my Cupids all, "
Said Love, the little Admiral.

False papers next on board were found,
Sham invoices of flames and darts,
Professedly for Paphos bound,
But meant for Hymen's golden marts.
" For shame, for shame, my Cupids all! "
Said Love, the little Admiral.

Nay, still to every fraud awake,
Those pirates all Love's signals knew,
And hoisted oft his flag, to make
Rich wards and heiresses bring to .
" A foe, a foe, my Cupids all! "
Said Love, the little Admiral.

" This must not be, " the boy exclaims,
" In vain I rule the Paphian seas,
" If Love's and Beauty's sovereign names
" Are lent to cover frauds like these.
" Prepare, prepare, my Cupids all! "
Said Love, the little Admiral.

Each Cupid stood with lighted match —
A broadside struck the smuggling foe,
And swept the whole unhallowed batch
Of Falsehood to the depths below.
" Huzza, huzza! my Cupids all! "
Said Love the little Admiral.