Old Paul and Old Tim
July 6, 2023Mister William
July 6, 2023My Lady
Bedecked in fashion trim,
With every curl a-quiver;
Or leaping, light of limb,
O’er rivulet and river;
Or skipping o’er the lea
On daffodil and daisy;
Or stretched beneath a tree,
All languishing and lazy;
Whatever be her mood –
Be she demurely prude
Or languishingly lazy –
My lady drives me crazy!
In vain her heart is wooed,
Whatever be her mood!
What profit should I gain
Suppose she loved me dearly?
Her coldness turns my brain
To VERGE of madness merely.
Her kiss – though, Heaven knows,
To dream of it were treason –
Would tend, as I suppose,
To utter loss of reason!
My state is not amiss;
I would not have a kiss
Which, in or out of season,
Might tend to loss of reason:
What profit in such bliss?
A fig for such a kiss!
W.S. Gilbert
W.S. Gilbert (1836-1911) was an English playwright, librettist, and poet who is best known for his collaborations with composer Arthur Sullivan. Gilbert's most famous works include the comic operas "H.M.S. Pinafore," "The Pirates of Penzance," and "The Mikado." His poetry often dealt with themes of social criticism and satire.