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Home  »  Poetica Erotica  »  The Penitent Nun

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

The Penitent Nun

By John Lockman (1698–1771)
 
(From Musical Miscellany, c. 1731)

DAME Jane a sprightly Nun, and gay,
  And formed of very yielding Clay,
Had long with resolution strove
  To guard against the Shafts of Love.
Fond Cupid smiling, spies the Fair,        5
  And soon he baffles all her Care,
In vain she tries her Pain to smother,
  The Nymph too frail, the Nymph too frail,
      Becomes a Mother.
 
But no, these little Follies o’er,        10
  She firmly vows she’ll sin no more;
No more to Vice will fall a Prey,
  But spend in Prayer each fleeting Day.
Close in her Cell immur’d she lies,
  Nor from the Cross removes her Eyes;        15
Whilst Sisters crowding at the Crate,
  Spend all their Time, spend all their Time in
      Worldly Prate.
 
The Abbess, overjoyed to find
  This happy Change in Jenny’s Mind,        20
The rest, with Air composed, addressing,
  “Daughters, if you expect a Blessing,
From pious Jane, Example take,
  The World and all its Joys forsake.”
“We will” (they all reply’d as One)        25
  “But first let’s do as Jane has done.”