Love

Would You Know?

by W. S. Gilbert 1836–1911

From Songs of a Savoyard (1920 Macmillan Bab Ballads edition)

Love

Would you know the kind of maid
Sets my heart a flame-a?
Eyes must be downcast and staid,
Cheeks must flush for shame-a!
She may neither dance nor sing,
But, demure in everything,
Hang her head in modest way
With pouting lips that seem to say,
“Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me, kiss me,
Though I die of shame-a!”
Please you, that’s the kind of maid
Sets my heart a flame-a!

When a maid is bold and gay
With a tongue goes clang-a,
Flaunting it in brave array,
Maiden may go hang-a!
Sunflower gay and hollyhock
Never shall my garden stock;
Mine the blushing rose of May,
With pouting lips that seem to say
“Oh, kiss me, kiss me, kiss me, kiss me,
Though I die for shame-a!”
Please you, that’s the kind of maid
Sets my heart a flame-a!

MLA

Gilbert, W. S. “Would You Know?” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/gilbert/37/.

Chicago

Gilbert, W. S. “Would You Know?” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/gilbert/37/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

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