Fromoffahillwhoseconcavewombreworded
Aplaintfulstoryfromasist\'ringvale,
Myspiritst\'attendthisdoublevoiceaccorded,
AnddownIlaidtolistthesad—tunedtale,
Erelongespiedaficklemaidfullpale,
Tearingofpapers,breakingringsatwain,
Stormingherworldwithsorrow\'swindandrain。
Uponherheadaplattedhiveofstraw,
Whichfortifiedhervisagefromthesun,
Whereonthethoughtmightthinksometimeitsaw
Thecarcaseofabeautyspentanddone。
Timehadnotscythedallthatyouthbegun,
Noryouthallquit,butspiteofheaven\'sfellrage
Somebeautypeepedthroughlatticeofsearedage。
Oftdidsheheavehernapkintohereyne,
Whichonithadconceitedcharacters,
Laund\'ringthesilkenfiguresinthebrine
Thatseasonedwoehadpelletedintears,
Andoftenreadingwhatcontentsitbears;
Asoftenshriekingundistinguishedwoe,
Inclamoursofallsize,bothhighandlow。
Sometimesherlevelledeyestheircarriageride,
Astheydidbatt\'rytothespheresintend;
Sometimedivertedtheirpoorballsaretied
Toth\'orbedearth;sometimestheydoextend
Theirviewrighton;anontheirgazeslend
Toeveryplaceatonce,andnowherefixed,
Themindandsightdistractedlycommixed。
Herhair,norloosenortiedinformalplat,
Proclaimedinheracarelesshandofpride;
Forsome,untucked,descendedhersheavedhat,
Hangingherpaleandpinedcheekbeside;
Someinherthreadenfilletstilldidbide,
And,truetobondage,wouldnotbreakfromthence,
Thoughslacklybraidedinloosenegligence。
Athousandfavoursfromamaundshedrew
Ofamber,crystal,andofbeadedjet,
Whichonebyonesheinariverthrew,
Uponwhoseweepingmargentshewasset;
Likeusuryapplyingwettowet,
Ormonarchs\'handsthatletsnotbountyfall
Wherewantcriessome,butwhereexcessbegsall。
Offoldedscheduleshadshemanyaone,
Whichsheperused,sighed,tore,andgavetheflood;
Crackedmanyaringofposiedgoldandbone,
Biddingthemfindtheirsepulchresinmud;
Foundyetmoeletterssadlypennedinblood,
Withsleidedsilkfeatandaffectedly
Enswathedandsealedtocurioussecrecy。
Theseoftenbathedsheinherfluxiveeyes,
Andoftenkissed,andoften\'gantotear;
Cried,\'Ofalseblood,thouregisteroflies,
Whatunapprovedwitnessdostthoubear!
Inkwouldhaveseemedmoreblackanddamnedhere!
Thissaid,intopofragethelinessherents,
Bigdiscontentssobreakingtheircontents。
Areverendmanthatgrazedhiscattlenigh,
Sometimeablustererthattheruffleknew
Ofcourt,ofcity,andhadletgoby
Theswiftesthoursobservedastheyflew,
Towardsthisafflictedfancyfastlydrew;
And,privilegedbyage,desirestoknow
Inbriefthegroundsandmotivesofherwoe。
Soslideshedownuponhisgrainedbat,
Andcomelydistantsitshebyherside;
Whenheagaindesiresher,beingsat,
Hergrievancewithhishearingtodivide。
Ifthatfromhimtheremaybeaughtapplied
Whichmayhersufferingecstasyassuage,
\'Tispromisedinthecharityofage。
\'Father,\'shesays,\'thoughinmeyoubehold
Theinjuryofmanyablastinghour,
LetitnottellyourjudgementIamold:
Notage,butsorrow,overmehathpower。
Imightasyethavebeenaspreadingflower,
Freshtomyself,ifIhadself—applied
Lovetomyself,andtonolovebeside。
\'Butwoeisme!tooearlyIattended
Ayouthfulsuit—itwastogainmygrace—
O,onebynature\'soutwardssocommended
Thatmaidens\'eyesstuckoverallhisface。
Lovelackedadwellingandmadehimherplace;
Andwheninhisfairpartsshedidabide,
Shewasnewlodgedandnewlydeified。
\'Hisbrownylocksdidhangincrookedcurls;
Andeverylightoccasionofthewind
Uponhislipstheirsilkenparcelshurls。
What\'ssweettodo,todowillaptlyfind:
Eacheyethatsawhimdidenchantthemind;
Foronhisvisagewasinlittledrawn
WhatlargenessthinksinParadisewassawn。
\'Smallshowofmanwasyetuponhischin;
Hisphoenixdownbeganbuttoappear,
Likeunshornvelvet,onthattermlessskin,
Whosebareout—braggedthewebitseemedtowear:
Yetshowedhisvisagebythatcostmoredear;
Andniceaffectionswaveringstoodindoubt
Ifbestwereasitwas,orbestwithout。
\'Hisqualitieswerebeauteousashisform,
Formaiden—tonguedhewas,andthereoffree;
Yetifmenmovedhim,washesuchastorm
Asoft\'twixtMayandAprilistosee,
Whenwindsbreathesweet,unrulythoughtheybe。
Hisrudenesssowithhisauthorizedyouth
Didliveryfalsenessinaprideoftruth。
\'Wellcouldheride,andoftenmenwouldsay,
\"Thathorsehismettlefromhisridertakes:
Proudofsubjection,noblebythesway,
Whatrounds,whatbounds,whatcourse,whatstophemakes!\"
Andcontroversyhenceaquestiontakes
Whetherthehorsebyhimbecamehisdeed,
Orhehismanagebyth\'well—doingsteed。
\'Butquicklyonthissidetheverdictwent:
Hisrealhabitudegavelifeandgrace
Toappertainingsandtoornament,
Accomplishedinhimself,notinhiscase,
Allaids,themselvesmadefairerbytheirplace,
Cameforadditions;yettheirpurposedtrim
Piercednothisgrace,butwereallgracedbyhim。
\'Soonthetipofhissubduingtongue
Allkindofargumentsandquestiondeep,
Allreplicationprompt,andreasonstrong,
Forhisadvantagestilldidwakeandsleep。