"To The Beautiful" by John Rollin Ridge
Nor scorn my too adventurous rhymes,
For how can he be tame or cold
Whose heart hath bloomed in southern climes?
Or who hath lived among the flowers,
Or by those clear perennial streams,
Whose music charms the gliding hours,
Nor gave his soul passion's dreams?
Why should his heart not love to live
Within the light of beauty's eyes,
And all its world of feeling give,
To win from her, her trembling sighs?
Alas, the world may say 'tis wrong,
But who can rule the wayward heart?
For we are weak, and nature strong,
And love is our immortal part!
We not see the rosy mouth,
The laughing eye, the graceful limb,
And bosom like the sunny south,
With love o'erflowing from the brim.
We may not see such loveliness,
Without the wish at least to gaze;
And cold were she, denying this
To him whose very look is praise;
Forgive me, if my heart has erred,
In deeming thou would'st not despise,
And I will cancel every word,
To meet forgiveness from thine eyes.