A precious — mouldering pleasure — ’tis –
To meet an Antique Book –
In just the Dress his Century wore –
A privilege — I think –
His venerable Hand to take –
And warming in our own –
A passage back — or two — to make –
To Times when he — was young –
His quaint opinions — to inspect –
His thought to ascertain
On Themes concern our mutual mind –
The Literature of Man –
What interested Scholars — most –
What Competitions ran –
When Plato — was a Certainty –
And Sophocles — a Man –
When Sappho — was a living Girl –
And Beatrice wore
The Gown that Dante — deified –
Facts Centuries before
He traverses — familiar –
As One should come to Town –
And tell you all your Dreams — were true –
He lived — where Dreams were born –
His presence is Enchantment –
You beg him not to go –
Old Volume shake their Vellum Heads
And tantalize — just so –
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I gained it so –
By Climbing slow –
By Catching at the Twigs that grow
Between the Bliss — and me –
It hung so high
As well the Sky
Attempt by Strategy –
I said I gained it –
This — was all –
Look, how I clutch it
Lest it fall –
And I a Pauper go –
Unfitted by an instant’s Grace
For the Contented — Beggar’s face
I wore — an hour ago –
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Tags: ago, all, attempt, beggar, between, bliss, catching, climbing, clutch, contented, face, fall, gained, grace, grow, high, hour, hung, instant, lest, look, pauper, sky, slow, strategy, twigs, unfitted, wore
