| T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22. | | | | Women | | By Francis Saltus Saltus (1849–1889) |
| | (From Shadows and Ideals, 1890)
WERE I a woman, I would not pray to be | |
| The great Semiramis or Joan of Arc, | |
| The Fair Sorel or Catherine grim and dark, | |
| Or Cleopatra, supple as the sea. | |
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| Nor would it in sweet manner pleasure me | 5 |
| To be fond Juliet listening to the lark, | |
| Nor yet a Staël, with genius for a mark, | |
| Nay, nor pale Marie Stuart, queen and free. | |
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| Had I of such rare transformation choice, | |
| I would be Messalina, warm and lewd, | 10 |
| Or amorous Sappho, with wild whims impure. | |
| Yea! any my lawless spirit would rejoice | |
| To live in white Dubarry’s bosom nude, | |
| Or on the glittering breast of Pompadour! | | | | |
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