Victorian Songs: Lyrics of the Affections and Nature
General
Victorian Songs: Lyrics of the Affections and Nature
Ballads, English -- Texts; English poetry -- 19th century
O for the look of those pure grey eyes--
Seeming to plead and speak--
The parted lips and the deep-drawn sighs,
The blush on the kissen cheek!
II.
O for the tangle of soft brown hair,
Lazily blown by the breeze;
The fleeting hours unshadowed by care,
Shaded by tremulous trees!
III.
O for the dream of those sunny days,
With their bright unbroken spell,
And the thrilling sweet untutored praise--
From the lips once loved so well!
IV.
O for the feeling of days agone,
The simple faith and the truth,
The spring of time and life's rosy dawn--
O for the love and the youth!
[Decoration]
_DAISY'S DIMPLES._
I.
Little dimples so sweet and soft,
Love the cheek of my love:
The mark of Cupid's dainty hand,
Before he wore a glove.
II.
Laughing dimples of tender love
Smile on my darling's cheek;
Sweet hallowed spots where kisses lurk,
And play at hide and seek.
III.
Fain would I hide my kisses there
At morning's rosy light,
To come and seek them back again
In silver hush of night.
_A LOVER'S LULLABY._
I.
Mirror your sweet eyes in mine, love,
See how they glitter and shine!
Quick fly such moments divine, love,
Link your lithe fingers in mine!
II.
Lay your soft cheek against mine, love,
Pillow your head on my breast;
While your brown locks I entwine, love,
Pout your red lips when they 're prest!
III.
Mirror your fate, then, in mine, love;
Sorrow and sighing resign:
Life is too short to repine, love,
Link your fair future in mine!
[Decoration]
ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE.
1837.
_A MATCH._
If love were what the rose is,
And I were like the leaf,
Our lives would grow together
In sad or singing weather,
Blown fields or flowerful closes,
Green pleasure or grey grief;
If love were what the rose is,
And I were like the leaf.
If I were what the words are,
And love were like the tune,
With double sound or single
Delight our lips would mingle,
With kisses glad as birds are
That get sweet rain at noon;
If I were what the words are,
And love were like the tune.
If you were life, my darling,
And I your love were death,
We 'd shine and snow together
Ere March made sweet the weather
With daffodil and starling
And hours of fruitful breath;
If you were life, my darling,
And I your love were death.
If you were thrall to sorrow,
And I were page to joy,
We 'd play for lives and seasons
With loving looks and treasons
And tears of night and morrow
And laughs of maid and boy;
If you were thrall to sorrow,
And I were page to joy.
If you were April's lady,
And I were lord in May,
We 'd throw with leaves for hours
And draw for days with flowers,
Till day like night were shady
And night were bright like day;
If you were April's lady,
And I were lord in May.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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