Collegia – Ode 54: Jenny

Jenny with her level brows
And curly raven hair,
Jenny can my interest rouse
As no one else would dare.
For Jenny to no master bows,
For modesty’s no care,
And Jenny always breaks her vows
And has a saucy air.
I would with Jenny love to drowse
Within some wormy chair;
Jenny with her ‘No,s’ and ‘Nows’
And chill reproving stare.
But Jenny I could well espouse
And life her I’d share,
Living in a cosy house,
And climbing up the stair
To whisper secrets by the thous-
and in her pretty ear;
And we should have such flaming rows
And tempers up would flare,
That life would be one long carouse
And we should be a pair –
But Jenny’s voice is like a cow’s,
And that I cannot bear!

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