A COURTLY MADRIGAL

Between the eyebrow and the eye

Such uncounted beauties lie,

Plain it is‘ tis Cupid's pleasaunce only.

There he makes his court and seat,

There lets all his graces meet,

Leaves a loveless world, bereft and lonely.

Oh, fair straight brows that brood above

The eyelid, as the nesting dove

Broods upon her treasured young;

In rosy flesh the veins of blue

Do softly, dimly glimmer through,

To lose themselves the eyelashes among.

Such eyelashes! More darkly sweet

Than where the serried treetops meet

Above the forest's undiscovered waters;

Where scarce the stars peep o'er the edge,

( Fringed round about with darkling sedge,

And thickly-growing reeds, fair Syrinx’ daughters ).