Verses To Clarinda

    verses to clarinda

    sent with a pair of wine-glasses.

    fair empress of the poet's soul,

    and queen of poetesses;

    clarinda, take this little boon,

    this humble pair of glasses:

    and fill them up with generous juice,

    as generous as your mind;

    and pledge them to the generous toast,

    “the whole of human kind!”

    “to those who love us!” second fill;

    but not to those whom we love;

    lest we love those who love not us—

    a third—“to thee and me, love!”