"Spadille" (1786) by Henry Livingston, to "How Much Superior Beauty Awes"

YouTube ^ | Henry Livingston

[mairdie]

"Spadille" (1786) by Henry Livingston, Jr, author of "Night Before Christmas," to "How Much Superior Beauty Awes," from Henry's music manuscript. Read by Byron Nilsson, who played Henry in the "Trial Before Christmas." Vintage postcard illustrations. Spadille was a lap dog.

[mairdie]

From Wikipedia
The ace of spades (also known as the spadille) is traditionally the highest and most valued card in the deck of playing cards, at least in English-speaking countries.

For a short description of the Night Before Christmas authorship attribution controversy, see a previous poem announcement.

[mairdie]

To Spadille

Thou little four-led’d paltry varlet
It makes my colour rise like scarlet
To see thee jump upon a knee
Where I would give the world to be;
Nay, I could name the very time
When I beheld that nose of thine
Approach those lips which once to kiss
I felt the height of all my bliss.

These eyes have seen thy head at rest
Upon my lovely Delia’s breast;
A breast from beauty’s model made
Where all the loves & graces play’d.
I’ve seen thee gaze upon those eyes
Where roguish Cupid ever lyes
And meet a glance so soft - so kind
That envy fill’d my aching mind.

Spadille, in pity to my pain
Attempt thy perness to restrain -
- It hurts my soul to see a waste
Of fondness thou canst never taste.

Could I but take thy envied place
I’d gaze upon her lovely face
Till all inflamed with her charms
Around her neck I’d throw my arms
And riot in a sea of blisses
While giving & receiving kisses.

[mairdie]

PING