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Her Portrait

Topics: classic

Were I an artist, Lydia, I     Would paint you as you merit,     Not as my eyes, but dreams, descry;     Not in the flesh, but spirit.     The canvas I would paint you on     Should be a bit of heaven;     My brush, a sunbeam; pigments, dawn     And night and starry even.     Your form and features to express,     Likewise your soul's chaste whiteness,     I'd take the primal essences     Of darkness and of brightness.     I'd take pure night to paint your hair;     Stars for your eyes; and morning     To paint your skin--the rosy air     That is your limbs' adorning.     To paint the love-bows of your lips,     I'd mix, for colors, kisses;     And for your breasts and finger-tips,     Sweet odors and soft blisses.     And to complete the picture well,     I'd temper all with woman,--     Some tears, some laughter; heaven and hell,     To show you still are human.

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"Were I an artist, Lydia, I..."

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"The Text is taken from Percy's Reliques (1765), vol. i. p. 71, 'given from two MS. copies, transmitted from Scotland.' Herd had a very similar bal"

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