A GIRL'S SIN.

Can I forget her cruelty

Who, brown miracle, gave you me?

Or with unmoisted eyes think on

The proud surrender overgone,

( Lowlihead in haughty dress ),

Of the tender tyranness?

And ere thou for my joy was given,

How rough the road to that blest heaven!

With what pangs I fore-expiated

Thy cold outlawry from her head;

How was I trampled and brought low,

Because her virgin neck was so;

How thralled beneath the jealous state

She stood at point to abdicate;

How sacrificed, before to me

She sacrificed her pride and thee;

How did she, struggling to abase

Herself to do me strange, sweet grace,

Enforce unwitting me to share

Her throes and abjectness with her;

Thence heightening that hour when her lover

Her grace, with trembling, should discover,

And in adoring trouble be

Humbled at her humility!

And with what pitilessness was I

After slain, to pacify

The uneasy manes of her shame,

Her haunting blushes!— Mine the blame:

What fair injustice did I rue

For what I — did not tempt her to?

Nor aught the judging maid might win

Me to assoil from HER sweet sin.

But nought were extreme punishment

For that beyond-divine content,

When my with-thee-first-giddied eyes

Stooped ere their due on Paradise!

O hour of consternating bliss

When I heavened me in thy kiss;

Thy softness ( daring overmuch! )

Profan-ed with my licensed touch;

Worshipped, with tears, on happy knee,

Her doubt, her trust, her shyness free,

Her timorous audacity!