Love's Labour Lost. Poem by William Billington

I MET with a wild and a wayward Fawn,
Who had no ill intent,
But lawless left in the forest alone
Was often on mischief bent.

The Wolf and the Bear her playmates were,
The wily Fox and the Lynx
Had learnt her their lore till her countenance wore
The aspect of the Sphynx.

Though Truth might trace in her form and face
The lineaments of the Fawn,
She, left at large to the wild beasts' charge,
Had into a wild beast grown,

And day by day did her white feet stray
Through Danger's darkling path,
Where reptiles lurked that daily worked
Her direful woe and scath.

The full-gushing fountains of Pity let loose,
Did leap in the sunlight of Love,
'Alas! then,' said I 'that the Daw and the Pie
Should mate with the beautiful Dove.

'Alas, that a jewel so rich and rare,
Obscured by the pebbles around,
Like a midnight star in the misty air,
Should hide itself in the ground!'

My heart did flame with a wish to tame
And wash the lily-white feet
Of that changeling Fawn, once bright as the dawn,
Now dark as the dingy street.

Whilst Sorrow and Ruth shook hands with Truth,
Joy dancing before them the while,
From the anchor of Hope I snatched the rope
And noosed her neck with a smile.

I led her away to where lambkins play
Around the shepherd's fold,
Far from the wood where the savage brood
Of tameless creatures howled.

I found her rest and food of the best,
I fed her from Plenty's full horn,
I gave her a part of my home and my heart,
And she paid me back with scorn!

Still ever I strove with a fervent love,
Nor toil nor time could tire,
To tame that Fawn and make her my own-
'Twas pouring oil on fire!

She said I had prisoned and pent her up,
And kept her in a cage;
And then amain for the forest again
She raved with a wild beast's rage.

I shewed her the mound whence Peace was drowned,
Who Pleasure's wave would quaff,
And hinted such fate did herself await,-
But she answered me with a laugh.

At length subdued by ingratitude
More cold than the winter's frost,
From her neck the noose I did unloose,
Thus Love his labour lost.