I smile and I bow, in a dignified way,
And even shake hands with the lady in gray;
Then draw back astonish'd, afraid to offend,
It is all a mistake, and she is not a friend.
In a moment sweeps over the vision a change
Deliciously sweet and suddenly strange,
A blush in the cheek and a light in the eyes;--
A step in the passage, to meet it she flies,
And still in the mirror I mark the embrace,
Where the strong manly arms hide the small blushing face.
When the sun rises early to call people out,
There is nothing so sweet as to wander about,
A hand on an arm or an arm round a waist,
In lover-like leisure or holiday haste.
Then, all is delightful we see or we hear,
And speaking or silence are equally dear;
The earth at our feet of an emerald hue,
The Heaven above us incredibly blue,
The flowers baptiz'd with miraculous dew.
While yet the sky blushes to welcome the sun,
Through the gay gardens we stroll and we run;
In fields where lambs gambol less happy than we,
Glittering grass makes a sheen like the sea;
Birds unexpectedly set up a chant,
Adding a joy that the world seem'd to want.
Creation is made for our pleasure alone:
Adam and Eve, with no sin to atone,
Knowledge untasted, less rapture have known!
Keeping by Harry, a friend who is fond
Follows as closely as follow he can:
_Is_ there an earthly affection beyond
The love a good dog feels for a good man?
If twenty people fling down twenty gloves
Our Rover has never been known to fail;
He picks out the glove of the man he loves,
And brings it triumphantly, wagging his tail.
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