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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE IVORY GATE; LOVE-IN-IDLENESS, by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Shall I be your first love, lady, shall I be your first Last Line: And then die, weeping you.' Subject(s): Love - Beginnings | |||
I. 'Shall I be your first love, lady, shall I be your first? Oh! then I'll fall before you, down on my velvet knee, And deeply bend my rosy head and press it upon thee, And swear that there is nothing more, for which my heart doth thirst, But a downy kiss, and pink, Between your lips' soft chink.' II. 'Yes, you shall be my first love, boy, and you shall be my first, And I will raise you up again unto my bosom's fold; And, when you kisses many one on lip and cheek have told, I'll you loose upon the grass, to leave me if you durst; And so we'll toy away The night besides the day.' III. 'But let me be your second love, but let me be your second, For then I'll tap so gently, dear, upon your window pane, And creep between the curtains in, where never man has lain, And never leave thy gentle side till the morning star hath beckoned, Within the silken lace Of thy young arms' embrace.' IV. 'Well thou shalt be my second love, yes, gentle boy, my second, And I will wait at eve for thee within my lonely bower, And yield unto thy kisses, like a bud to April's shower, From moon-set till the tower-clock the hour of dawn hath reckoned, And lock thee with my arms All silent up in charms.' V. 'No, I will be thy third love, lady, ay I will be the third, And break upon thee, bathing, in woody place alone, And catch thee to my saddle and ride o'er stream and stone, And press thee well, and kiss thee well, and never speak a word, 'Till thou hast yielded up The margin of love's cup.' VI. 'Then thou shalt not be my first love, boy, nor my second, nor my third; If thou'rt the first, I'll laugh at thee, and pierce thy flesh with thorns; If the second, from my chamber pelt with jeering laugh and scorns; And if thou darest be the third, I'll draw my dirk unheard And cut thy heart in two, -- And then die, weeping you.' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...WHY I MIGHT GO TO THE NEXT FOOTBALL GAME by DENIS JOHNSON THE POOL by ALEXANDER ANDERSON COZY APOLOGIA; FOR FRED by RITA DOVE YOU NOW HOLDING THIS BOOK IN HAND by ALICE NOTLEY FALLING IN LOVE IN SPAIN OR MEXICO by RON PADGETT WHEN LOVE WAS BORN by SARA TEASDALE BALLAD OF HUMAN LIFE by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES DEATH'S JEST-BOOK: DIRGE FOR WOLFRAM by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES DEATH'S JEST-BOOK: SAILORS' [OR MARINERS'] SONG by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES |
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