A Song (Cowper)

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A Song
by William Cowper
1192764A SongWilliam Cowper (1731-1800)

The sparkling eye, the mantling cheek,
The polish'd front, the snowy neck,
   How seldom we behold in one!
Glossy locks, and brow serene,
Venus' smiles, Diana's mien,
   All meet in you, and you alone.

Beauty, like other pow'rs, maintains
Her empire, and by union reigns;
   Each single feature faintly warms,
But where at once we view display'd
Unblemish'd grace, the perfect maid
   Our eyes, our ears, our heart alarms.

So when on earth the God of day
Obliquely sheds his temper'd ray,
   Through convex orbs the beams transmit,
The beams that gently warm'd before,
Collected, gently warm no more,
   But glow with more prevailing heat.

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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