Venus and Adonis (Modern)
Peer Reviewed
¶He looks upon his love and neighs unto her;
¶She answers him as if she knew his mind.
¶Being proud, as females are, to see him woo her,
310She puts on outward strangeness, seems unkind,
¶_Spurns at his love, and scorns the heat he feels,
¶_Beating his kind embracements with her heels.
¶Then, like a melancholy malcontent,
¶He vails his tail that, like a falling plume,
315Cool shadow to his melting buttock lent.
¶He stamps and bites the poor flies in his fume.
¶_His love perceiving how he was enraged,
¶_Grew kinder, and his fury was assuaged.
¶His testy master goeth about to take him,
320When, lo, the unbacked breeder, full of fear,
¶Jealous of catching, swiftly doth forsake him;
¶With her the horse, and left Adonis there.
¶_As they were mad, unto the wood they hie them,
¶_Outstripping crows that strive to overfly them.
