Love
The merchant, to secure his treasure
From The Golden Treasury, ed. F. T. Palgrave (1861)
The merchant, to secure his treasure,
Conveys it in a borrow'd name:
Euphelia serves to grace my measure,
But Cloe is my real flame.
My softest verse, my darling lyre
Upon Euphelia's toilet lay--
When Cloe noted her desire
That I should sing, that I should play.
My lyre I tune, my voice I raise,
But with my numbers mix my sighs:
And whilst I sing Euphelia's praise,
I fix my soul on Cloe's eyes.
Fair Cloe blush'd: Euphelia frown'd:
I sung, and gazed; I play'd, and trembled:
And Venus to the Loves around
Remark'd how ill we all dissembled.
Cite this poem
MLA
Prior, Matthew. “The merchant, to secure his treasure.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/prior/35/.
Chicago
Prior, Matthew. “The merchant, to secure his treasure.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/prior/35/.
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