When in Paper Put Her Grace
1 Charged to lauding write, chartered to
praising pen,
2 I sat at desk, digits ready, biting my
truant lead.
3 Words of gaud and pompous play left
the poem dead,
4 So in succor and patience: faith,
tried not what, but when.
5 When in paper put her
grace, and eternize her light,
6 Look not to gloss for
words, but in thy heart, and write.
7 When time wearied thin, and in mine
heart I’d looked,
8 Revealed were words which inscribed
her plain:
9 A panacea as to null an author’s bane-
10 Those words which beauty from her aspect
took.
11 Elements required for a
panegyric be
12 In present composed in poem I giv’eth thee.
In
dedication to Lila
1 In the grace of night, I your hand
took,
2 And placed its subjects in mine own
3 To stir when I in your
aspect look:
4 That look to only lovers
known.
5 And looking so,
6 I saw in yours a so brilliant hue:
7 Those eyes of ‘compassed maiden’s milk-
8 And dark honest marble
centered true,
9 Neath’ lashes of soft
heaven’s silk.
10 Your waist endured my agile hands,
11 Which together conquered nervous fright,
12 In concert performed a
beloved dance
13 And moved to the tune of
night.
14 To peck, to trow,
15 The music ceased, and with it swayed
16 Our aspects towards the either:
17 To find in lips, that love
unbayed’,
18 Which unease beguiled neither.