Poems (Hoffman)/Unrequited Love
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UNREQUITED LOVE
He was a youth of doubtful age
Not more than forty, one would guess,
But wise as many an older sage
And faultless in his dress.
Not more than forty, one would guess,
But wise as many an older sage
And faultless in his dress.
His hat was of the latest height
And hue, such as the dove might own,
The path by which he took his flight
Was smoky with cologne.
And hue, such as the dove might own,
The path by which he took his flight
Was smoky with cologne.
And oh! the fragrant cheap cigars,
'Twould take a Tennyson to dwell
(In words that journey to the stars)
On his aesthetic sense of smell.
'Twould take a Tennyson to dwell
(In words that journey to the stars)
On his aesthetic sense of smell.
Where'er he went a loud perfume
Swept like a thunder-cloud behind
And oh! the fragrance of his room
Fit symbol of his state of mind.
Swept like a thunder-cloud behind
And oh! the fragrance of his room
Fit symbol of his state of mind.
For as the poet says, he was
A love-sick swain, that common bird
Whose sweetest note amid the buzz
Of daily life is often heard.
A love-sick swain, that common bird
Whose sweetest note amid the buzz
Of daily life is often heard.
Poor Unrequited Love, his sweets
Were lost upon the desert air,
His girl was tired of candy treats
Or for cologne she didn't care.
Were lost upon the desert air,
His girl was tired of candy treats
Or for cologne she didn't care.
For sigh as loudly as he might
And smile as sweetly as he could
She kept discreetly out of sight
Or passed him speechless where he stood.
And smile as sweetly as he could
She kept discreetly out of sight
Or passed him speechless where he stood.
His candy in his pocket lodged,
His verses to his desk returned,
Returning freight he vainly dodged
Yet still his love the higher burned.
His verses to his desk returned,
Returning freight he vainly dodged
Yet still his love the higher burned.
No more within the lamp's warm glare
His charms of rosy splendor bloom,
He walks alone in open air
Beneath the rising moon.
His charms of rosy splendor bloom,
He walks alone in open air
Beneath the rising moon.
His faithful friend whose willing ear
Oft heard his whispered confidence
Is airing all his secrets dear
Across the orchard fence.
Oft heard his whispered confidence
Is airing all his secrets dear
Across the orchard fence.
His pillow swims in hopeless tears
And when his weary track
Leads past some serious girls, he hears
A giggle at his back.
And when his weary track
Leads past some serious girls, he hears
A giggle at his back.
But still with pluck to be admired
He hovers sweetly 'round
Though his eye once with joy inspired
Now rests upon the ground.
He hovers sweetly 'round
Though his eye once with joy inspired
Now rests upon the ground.
And still his bosom-friend repeats
His latest agonies
And still his widely lavished sweets
Come back to bless his eyes.
His latest agonies
And still his widely lavished sweets
Come back to bless his eyes.
O sad, sad story to relate!
Ye damsels all give ear,
And ye who hope to share his fate
The needful moral hear;
Ye damsels all give ear,
And ye who hope to share his fate
The needful moral hear;
Only a cruel, heartless girl
Could such perfumery scorn,
Compel a lad of tender years
To wander forth forlorn.
Could such perfumery scorn,
Compel a lad of tender years
To wander forth forlorn.
Only a brave and dauntless youth
Of forty more or less
Could take this Latin motto's truth
To comfort his distress:
Of forty more or less
Could take this Latin motto's truth
To comfort his distress:
"Dum Spiro Spero"—very short
But quite appropriate,
Listen, ye lads of fainter heart
Who share a similar fate.
But quite appropriate,
Listen, ye lads of fainter heart
Who share a similar fate.
Epitaph
Here lie the stumps of cheap cigars,
The ghosts of cheap cologne
Float coldly 'neath the twinkling stars;
Where has the hero gone?
The ghosts of cheap cologne
Float coldly 'neath the twinkling stars;
Where has the hero gone?