Maid, truly I see Now it must be a long way down And with love's burnt shore Must all dalliance hither Crumble and wither
Oh strange, Methought it strange Thou couldst deprive me of my crown Thou cast upon me as linden bears fruit of bitter strain
And I would go forsooth to the dragon's tooth If thus a chance were gained To resurrect that part of your wanton heart To whose grave my own is chained
And hold, ere thou dost go Were not thy moments gilded too? And in honesty didst thou not measure for measure Countenance pleasure?
Cold wert thou so cold Lest thy mind be frozen too And will not spring be reborn But might the sun for the frost here That all be not lost herein
And I would rather, zounds It were hell's own hounds Whose foul breath upon my face Did portent my doom Than to bear the gloom Of a world stripped of thy grace
And so in truth I know Yes it will be a long way down And if go thou must Ere we should meet accidental Prithee be gentle And though distant now Perchance the hand of time may soothe And though lost at six If I should live to be seven I might forget Stephanie