Fugitive Poetry. 1600–1878/The Secret
The Secret.
In a fair lady's heart once a secret was lurking,
It tossed and it tumbled, it longed to get out,
The lips half-betrayed it by smiling and smirking,
And. tongue was impatient to blab it, no doubt.
It tossed and it tumbled, it longed to get out,
The lips half-betrayed it by smiling and smirking,
And. tongue was impatient to blab it, no doubt.
But honour looked gruff on the subject, and gave it
In charge to the teeth, so enchantingly white,
Should the captive attempt an elopement, to save it
By giving the lips an admonishing bite.
In charge to the teeth, so enchantingly white,
Should the captive attempt an elopement, to save it
By giving the lips an admonishing bite.
'Twas said and 'twas settled, and honour departed,
Tongue quivered and trembled, but dared not rebel,
When right to its tip secret suddenly started,
And half in a whisper escaped from its cell.
Tongue quivered and trembled, but dared not rebel,
When right to its tip secret suddenly started,
And half in a whisper escaped from its cell.
Quoth the teeth, in a pet, "We'll be even for this,"
And they bit very smartly above and beneath,
But the lips at that instant were bribed with a kiss,
And they popped out the secret in spite of the teeth.
And they bit very smartly above and beneath,
But the lips at that instant were bribed with a kiss,
And they popped out the secret in spite of the teeth.