Like a lady's ringlets brown, 

 Flow thy silken ears adown 



Either side demurely 

 Of thy silver-suited breast, 

 Shining out from all the rest 



Of thy body purely. 



Darkly brown thy body is, 

 Till the sunshine striking this 



Alchemise its dulness, 

 When the sleek curls manifold 

 Flash all over into gold 



With a burnished fulness. 



Underneath my stroking hand, 

 Startled eyes of hazel bland 



Kindling, growing larger, 

 Up thou leapest with a spring, 

 Full of prank and curveting, 



Leaping like a charger. 



Leap ! thy broad tail waves a light, 

 Leap ! thy slender feet are bright, 



Canopied in fringes ; 

 Leap ! those tasselled ears of thine 

 Flicker strangely, fair and fine 



Down their golden inches. 



Yet, my pretty, sportive friend, 

 Little is't to such an end 

 That I praise thy rareness ; 

 16s 



