Clarinda
verses to clarinda
sent with a pair of wine-glasses.
fair empress of the poet's soul,
and queen of poetesses;
clarinda, take this little boon,
this humble pair of glasses:
and fill them up with generous juice,
as generous as your mind;
and pledge them to the generous toast,
“the whole of human kind!”
“to those who love us!” second fill;
but not to those whom we love;
lest we love those who love not us—
a third—“to thee and me, love!”