Humble Courting

2. Humble Courting.

Into this humble courting field, with open arms
The passing crowd I watch with loaded pen,
Marking the to and fro of shy faces
With my reluctant theories of the beauty apparition.

And for The Book of Love I steal their habit,
Plundering the back pocket of a rival Paris.
The adulterous snatch- the true cause of it,
His words a red rag on my tempest mast.

His rule of cool was dearly got with guile
Un-given by any passing God, in a smart
Hand-shake, more content than formal,
More well-dressed than dear at heart.

To catch the heart at this charitable place
I'll sleeve my own, not prick the painted face.