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(From Alice of Monmouth)
LADIES, in silks and laces, | |
| Lunching with lips agleam, | |
| Know you aught of the places | |
| Yielding such fruit and cream? | |
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| South from your harbor-islands | 5 |
| Glisten the Monmouth hills; | |
| There are the ocean highlands, | |
| Lowland meadows and rills, | |
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| Berries in field and garden, | |
| Trees with their fruitage low, | 10 |
| Maidens (asking your pardon) | |
| Handsome as cities show. | |
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| Know you that, night and morning, | |
| A beautiful water-fay, | |
| Covered with strange adorning, | 15 |
| Crosses your rippling bay? | |
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| Her sides are white and sparkling; | |
| She whistles to the shore; | |
| Behind, her hair is darkling, | |
| And the waters part before. | 20 |
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| Lightly the waves she measures | |
| Up to the wharves of the town; | |
| There, unlading her treasures, | |
| Lovingly puts them down. | |
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| Come with me, ladies; cluster | 25 |
| Here on the western pier; | |
| Look at her jewels’ lustre, | |
| Changed with the changing year! | |
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| First of the months to woo her, | |
| June his strawberries flings | 30 |
| Over her garniture, | |
| Bringing her exquisite things; | |
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| Rifling his richest casket; | |
| Handing her, everywhere, | |
| Garnets in crate and basket; | 35 |
| Knowing she soon will wear | |
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| Blackberry jet and lava, | |
| Raspberries ruby-red, | |
| Trinkets that August gave her, | |
| Over her toilet spread. | 40 |
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| After such gifts have faded, | |
| Then the peaches are seen,— | |
| Coral and ivory braided, | |
| Fit for an Indian queen. | |
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| And September will send her, | 45 |
| Proud of his wealth, and bold, | |
| Melons glowing in splendor, | |
| Emeralds set with gold. | |
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| So she glides to the Narrows, | |
| Where the forts are astir: | 50 |
| Her speed is a shining arrow’s! | |
| Guns are silent for her. | |
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| So she glides to the ringing | |
| Bells of the belfried town, | |
| Kissing the wharves, and flinging | 55 |
| All of her jewels down. | |
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| Whence she gathers her riches, | |
| Ladies, now would you see? | |
| Leaving your city niches, | |
| Wander awhile with me. | 60 |
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