452. Absence

Richard Jago. 1715-1781


WITH leaden foot Time creeps along
  While Delia is away:
With her, nor plaintive was the song,
  Nor tedious was the day.

Ah, envious Pow'r! reverse my doom;
  Now double thy career,
Strain ev'ry nerve, stretch ev'ry plume,
  And rest them when she 's here!

The Oxford Book of English Verse, HTML edition