Hannah F. Gould (1789-1865). Cupid's Warning. Samuel Kettell, ed. 1829. Specimens of American Poetry

Samuel Kettell, ed. Specimens of American Poetry. 1829.

Cupid’s Warning

By Hannah F. Gould (1789–1865)


“TAKE heed! take heed!
They will go with speed;
For I ’ve just new-strung my bow.
My quiver is full; and if oft I pull,
Some arrow may hit, you know,	5
You know, you know,
Some arrow may hit, you know.”

“Oh! pull away,”
Did the maiden say,
“For who is the coward to mind	10
A shaft that’s flung by a boy so young,
When both of his eyes are blind,
Are blind, are blind,
When both of his eyes are blind?”

His bow he drew;	15
And the shafts they flew
Till the maiden was heard to cry,
“Oh! take this dart from my aching heart,
Dear Cupid! or else I die,
I die, I die,	20
Dear Cupid, or else I die!”

He said, and smiled,
“I am but a child,
And should have no skill to find,
E’en with both my eyes, where the dart now lies,	25
Then, you know, fair maid, I ’m blind,
I ’m blind, I ’m blind,
You know, fair maid, I ’m blind!

But pray, be calm,
And I ’ll name a balm	30
That ’s brought by an older hand,
And I ’m told is sure these wounds to cure;
’T is Hymen applies the band;
The band, the band,
’T is Hymen applies the band!	35

Now, I must not stay—
I must haste away—
For my mother has bid me try
These fluttering things, my glistening wings,
Which she tells me were made to fly,	40
To fly, to fly,
She tells me were made to fly!”