Wine, No. 28

In the spring-time, when the skies Cast off winter's mourning, And bright flowers of every hue Earth's lap are adorning, At the hour when Lucifer Gives the stars their warning, Phyllis woke, and Flora too, In the early morning.

Both the girls were fain to go Forth in sunny weather, For love-laden bosoms throw Sleep off like a feather; Then with measured steps and slow To the fields together Went they, seeking pastime new 'Mid the flowers and heather.

Both were virgins, both, I ween, Were by birth princesses; Phyllis let her locks flow free, Flora trained her tresses. Not like girls they went, but like Heavenly holinesses; And their faces shone like dawn 'Neath the day's caresses.

Equal beauty, equal birth, These fair maidens mated; Youthful were the years of both, And their minds elated; Yet they were a pair unpaired, Mates by strife unmated; For one loved a clerk, and one For a knight was fated.

Naught there was of difference 'Twixt them to the seeing, All alike, within without, Seemed in them agreeing; With one garb, one cast of mind, And one mode of being, Only that they could not love Save with disagreeing.

In the tree-tops overhead A spring breeze was blowing, And the meadow lawns around With green grass were growing; Through the grass a rivulet From the hill was flowing, Lively, with a pleasant sound Garrulously going.

That the girls might suffer less From the noon resplendent, Near the stream a spreading pine Rose with stem ascendant; Crowned with boughs and leaves aloft, O'er the fields impendent; From all heat on every hand Airily defendent.

On the sward the maidens sat, Naught that seat surpasses; Phyllis near the rivulet, Flora 'mid the grasses; Each into the chamber sweet Of her own soul passes, Love divides their thoughts, and wounds With his shafts the lasses.

Love within the breast of each, Hidden, unsuspected, Lurks and draws forth sighs of grief From their hearts dejected: Soon their ruddy cheeks grow pale, Conscious, love-affected; Yet their passion tells no tale, By soft shame protected.

Phyllis now doth overhear Flora softly sighing: Flora with like luck detects Sigh to sigh replying. Thus the girls exchange the game, Each with other vying; Till the truth leaps out at length, Plain beyond denying.

Long this interchange did last Of mute conversation; All of love-sighs fond and fast Was that dissertation. Love was in their minds, and Love Made their lips his station; Phyllis then, while Flora smiled, Opened her oration.

"Soldier brave, my love!" she said, "Where is now my Paris? Fights he in the field, or where In the wide word tarries? Oh, the soldier's life, I swear, All life's glory carries; Only valour clothed in arms With Dame Venus marries!"