| Fuess and Stearns, comps. The Little Book of Society Verse. 1922. | | | | Love | | By Charles Stuart Calverley |
| | | CANST thou love me, lady? | |
| I’ve not learn’d to woo: | |
| Thou art on the shady | |
| Side of sixty too. | |
| Still I love thee dearly! | 5 |
| Thou hast lands and pelf: | |
| But I love thee merely, | |
| Merely for thyself. | |
| |
| Will you love me, fairest? | |
| Though thou art not fair; | 10 |
| And I think thou wearest | |
| Someone-else’s hair. | |
| Thou could’st love, though, dearly: | |
| And, as I am told, | |
| Thou art very nearly | 15 |
| Worth thy weight in gold. | |
| |
| Dost thou love me, sweet one? | |
| Tell me that thou dost! | |
| Women fairly beat one, | |
| But I think thou must. | 20 |
| Thou art loved so dearly: | |
| I am plain, but then | |
| Thou (to speak sincerely) | |
| Art as plain again. | |
| |
| Love me, bashful fairy! | 25 |
| I’ve an empty purse: | |
| And I’ve “moods,” which vary; | |
| Mostly for the worst. | |
| Still I love thee dearly: | |
| Though I make (I feel) | 30 |
| Love a little queerly, | |
| I’m as true as steel. | |
| |
| Love me, swear to love me | |
| (As, you know, they do) | |
| By yon heaven above me | 35 |
| And its changeless blue. | |
| Love me, lady, dearly, | |
| If you’ll be so good; | |
| Though I don’t see clearly | |
| On what ground you should. | 40 |
| |
| Love me—ah! or love me | |
| Not, but be my bride! | |
| Do not simply shove me | |
| (So to speak) aside! | |
| P’raps it would be dearly | 45 |
| Purchased at the price; | |
| But a hundred yearly | |
| Would be very nice. | | | | |
|
|
