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SAPHO to PHAON.
Oh when, alas! shall more auspicious gales
To these fond eyes restore thy welcome sails?
If you return———ah why these long delays?
Poor Sapho dies, while careless Phaon stays.
O launch thy bark, nor fear the watry plain,
Venus for thee shall smooth her native main.
O launch thy bark, secure of prosp'rous gales,
Cupid for thee shall spread the swelling sails.
If you will fly———(yet ah! what cause can be,
Too cruel youth, that you should fly from me?)
If not from Phaon I must hope for ease,
Ah let me seek it from the raging seas:
To raging seas unpity'd I'll remove,
And either cease to live, or cease to love!
To these fond eyes restore thy welcome sails?
If you return———ah why these long delays?
Poor Sapho dies, while careless Phaon stays.
O launch thy bark, nor fear the watry plain,
Venus for thee shall smooth her native main.
O launch thy bark, secure of prosp'rous gales,
Cupid for thee shall spread the swelling sails.
If you will fly———(yet ah! what cause can be,
Too cruel youth, that you should fly from me?)
If not from Phaon I must hope for ease,
Ah let me seek it from the raging seas:
To raging seas unpity'd I'll remove,
And either cease to live, or cease to love!
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