Arsinoe's Cats

ARSINOE the fair, the amber-tressed,
Is mine no more ;
Cold as the unsunned snows are is her breast,
And closed her door.

No more her ivory feet and tresses braided
Make glad mine eyes ;
Snapt are my viol-strings, my flowers are faded —
My love-lamp dies.

Yet, once, for dewy myrtle-buds and roses,
All summer long,
We searched the twilight -haunted garden closes
With jest and song.

Aye, all is over now— my heart hath chang&l
Its heaven for hell;
And that ill chance that all our love estranged
In this wise fell :

A little lion, small and dainty sweet
(For such there be !)
With sea-grey eyes and softly-stepping feet,
She prayed of me.

For this, through lands Egyptian far away
She bade me pass ;
But in an evil hour, I said her nay —
And now, alas !

Far-travelled Nicias hath wooed, and won
Arsinoe
With gifts of furry creatures white and dun
From over-sea.