Then I Would Love You

Were you to come, With your clear, gray eyes As calmly placid as, in summer's heat, At noontide lie the sultry skies; With your dark, brown hair As smoothly quiet as the leaves When stirs no cooling breath of air; And shorn of smile, your full, red lips Prest firmly close as the chaliced bud, Before the nectar-quaffing bee ere sips; I would not know you. I would not love you. But should you come With your love-bright eyes Dancing gaily as, on summer's eve, The stars adown the Western skies; With your hair, wind-caught And circled round your shining face In fashion which no hand ere wrought; And your full, red lips poised saucily, As the slender moon midst an hundred stars, And held aloof in daring taunt to me, Then I would know you, Then I would love you.