I’m forced to hide myself and fly
Far from the regions of the sky
By her I’m beat, abus’d and chid
Because I won’t do what she bids
Nor always shoot my skewers where she
Thinks fit (a minx) to order me
Each scheme I make, she’s sure to thwart
(Gods! ’tis enough to break my heart)
Drives me from dances, fairs and wakes
I havn’t seen a play for weeks.
I knock’d at Pindus as I past
And begg’d a shelter and some rest
The Muses had no sooner spy’d me
Than one and all began to chide me
This said I broke her fiddlesticks
And play’d her half a score of tricks
That, I had all her brushes stole
Some swore I’d got their nectar bowl
Of sticking pins in chairs one tax’d me
And ev’ry one agree to thrash me
Thanks, to good Merc’ry, here I’m quiet
And safe escap’d from all their riot.
My younger brothers, Venus loves
And plays with them in shady groves
But I, who’m not her pet she wishes
To treat and handle as she pleases.
The bow of rib of mutton made
To me and not to her (Sly Jade)
By fate and Dolly Cook was giv’n
A gift I prize, beyond all heav’n
My torch too, lit at Otna’s Fire
By Vulcan, my reputed sire
I hear she’s trying to discover
Where’s got her pretty silly rover
And promises the sweetest kiss
(For ought I know some other bliss)
To those who luckily shall find me
And in rose garlands firmly bind me.
I’m sure of this in all Arcady
From simple poan, up to My Lady
There’s not a nymph there, but prefers
A kiss of mine to one of hers
And this I’ll very quickly prove
And try if love knows ought of love
But yet the surer still to be
I’ve thrown my bow & skewers away
Turn’d my love torch into a crook
And sheep instead of hearts, I hook.
Laura