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Home  »  Poetica Erotica  »  The Fall

T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.

The Fall

By Sir Charles Sedley (1639–1701)
 
AS Chloe o’er the meadows past
  I viewed the lovely maid:
She turned and blushed, renewed her haste,
And feared by me to be embraced—
  My eyes my wish betrayed.        5
 
I trembling felt the rising flame,
  The charming nymph pursued;
Daphne was not so bright a game,
Tho’ great Apollo’s darling dame,
  Nor with such charms endued.        10
 
I followed close, the fair still flew
  Along the grassy plain;
The grass at length my rival grew,
And catched my Chloe by the shoe;
  Her speed was then in vain.        15
 
But, oh! as tottering down she fell,
  What did the fall reveal?
Such limbs description cannot tell;
Such charms were never in the Mall,
  Nor smock did e’er conceal.        20
 
She shrieked; I turned my ravished eyes
  And, burning with desire,
I helped the Queen of Love to rise;
She checked her anger and surprise,
  And said, “Rash youth, retire,        25
 
“Begone, and boast what you have seen;
  It shan’t avail you much:
I know you like my form and mien,
Yet since so insolent you’ve been,
  The Parts disclosed you ne’er shall touch.”        30