Meditatur
Studentissimus Quidam, in Mediis Laboribus a Virgine Carissima
Interpellatus.
Little coquette, for new conquest rapacious,1
Eyes that imprison half-slumbering smile,2
Naughtily shy, and demurely audacious,3
Artfully artless, young mistress of guile,4
Why do your lips look so temptingly lonely,5
If you can only entice to forget ?6
Why should I laugh with you, long for you, love you,7
Little coquette ?8
I’ll be a Faustus with spell necromantic,9
You’ll be the Phyllis whom Horace loved so,10
Now, little sweetheart, all truly romantic,11
Teach me how Phyllis woo’d long long ago ;12
Foul fall our footnotes and marginal lections,13
Bentley’s mutetur, Salmasius’ stet—14
One line of love-lilt to ten of corrections,15
Little coquette !16
Now the old songs with their loves and their yearning17
Gasp in the grip of the glosses and rotes ;18
Oh for more life and a little less learning,19
More of the heart-blood and less of the notes ;20
Shall not the stir of their passionate music21
Kindle the fires that are warm in us yet ?22
Life must be ours—though it scorch in the grasping,23
Little coquette !24
Now, little sweetheart, I know how Catullus25
Burst into song with a Lesbia like you ;26
Now I can mourn with the gentle Tibullus27
Watch with his Delia, deeming her true :—28
Da mihi basia mille et centum,29
Meae deliciæ—Anglicè pet—30
O meum cor, mi ocelle, lepores,31
Little coquette !32