A Duet
‘ Flowers nodding gaily, scent in air,1
Flowers posied, flowers in the hair,2
Sleepy flowers, flowers bold to stare—’3
‘ Oh, pick me some.’4
‘ Shells with lip, or tooth, or bleeding gum,5
Tell-tale shells, and shells that whisper “ Come,”6
Shells that stammer, blush and yet are dumb—’7
‘ Oh, let me hear.’8
‘ Eyes so black they draw one trembling near,9
Brown eyes, caverns flooded with a tear,10
Cloudless eyes, blue eyes so windy clear —’11
‘ Oh, look at me.’12
‘ Kisses sadly blown across the sea,13
Darkling kisses, kisses fair and free,14
Bob-a-cherry kisses ’neath a tree—’15
‘ Oh, give me one.’—16
Thus sang a queen and king in Babylon.17