Frank S. Williamson

"What shall I wish you Robbie Croll— A girl, a book, or wine? For sages tell, who these control Shall taste of the divine.A star-eyed girl—a mouth of rose To kiss and cling and sigh, The houri Moslem heaven bestows When true believers die?A book of song, of youth and love, And joy refined by pain— That breathes of beauty gone above Ere Time could Love arraign?Or purple wine that holds the fire Flung by enamoured suns, That thrills the blood, and stirs the lyre, And sybils makes of nuns?Yea, take them all, the book and girl— But stint the luring cup, For there, like Cleopatra's pearl, My soul has shrivelled up."