| Arthur Quiller-Couch, comp. The Oxford Book of Victorian Verse. 1922. | | | | Emmy | | By Arthur Symons (1865–1945) |
| | | EMMY’S exquisite youth and her virginal air, | |
| Eyes and teeth in the flash of a musical smile, | |
| Come to me out of the past, and I see her there | |
| As I saw her once for a while. | |
| |
| Emmy’s laughter rings in my ears, as bright, | 5 |
| Fresh and sweet as the voice of a mountain brook, | |
| And still I hear her telling us tales that night, | |
| Out of Boccaccio’s book. | |
| |
| There, in the midst of the villainous dancing-hall, | |
| Leaning across the table, over the beer, | 10 |
| While the music madden’d the whirling skirts of the ball, | |
| As the midnight hour drew near, | |
| |
| There with the women, haggard, painted and old, | |
| One fresh bud in a garland wither’d and stale, | |
| She, with her innocent voice and her clear eyes, told | 15 |
| Tale after shameless tale. | |
| |
| And ever the witching smile, to her face beguiled, | |
| Paused and broaden’d, and broke in a ripple of fun, | |
| And the soul of a child look’d out of the eyes of a child, | |
| Or ever the tale was done. | 20 |
| |
| O my child, who wrong’d you first, and began | |
| First the dance of death that you dance so well? | |
| Soul for soul: and I think the soul of a man | |
| Shall answer for yours in hell. | | | | |
|
|
