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Home  »  Poetica Erotica  »  A Creature for Feature

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

A Creature for Feature

Percy’s Folio Manuscript
 
(Anonymous, c. 1620–50)

A CREATURE, for feature I never saw a fairer,
So witty, so pretty, I never knew a rarer;
She so kind, and I so blind,
That I may say another day
“I did complain, and I met a swain,        5
But [he] knew not how to woo me nor do me,
He was so dull conceited.
I gave a smile him to beguile,
I made a show to make him know,
I pincht his cheek to make him seek        10
And find some further pleasure, whose treasure
  needs not to be Expected.
 
“I staid him, and prayed him, and proffered him a favour;
He kist me, and wisht me to bear with his behavior;
But hie tro lolly lolly, le silly willy could not doe.        15
All content with him was spent
When he had clipt and kist me, and mist me,
And could not … kiss … [line cut off]
Then thought I, and thought no lie,
Perhaps his pipe is not yet ripe;        20
Yet an hour may have the power
To make it grow in full length and full strength;
But fools are led in blindness.
 
“But woe me, and woe me! alas, I could not raise!
It would not, nor could not, doe all I could to please.        25
His ink was run, his pen was done.
Jack! art thou dead? hold up thy head!
I will litter thee and water thee,
And feed thee with my neet,
And better, if thou wilt lie beside me.        30
But all in vain I did complain,
His Jack was tired, he’d not be hired
For all my prayers and all my tears.”