Her Eyes

Friends if ever ye be perchance,

A reckless youth seeking romance,

Or seeking merely a maiden’s glance,

Or preparing to take with life a chance;

                Then take ye my advice.

Do all that for ye may pleasing be;

Dare all that ye may as a challenge see,

And look on all that ever entices thee;

But eat not the fruit of the forbidden tree,

                And beware of a damsel’s eyes.

Into her eyes, if look ye ever,

What see ye there, will forget ye never;

And as a victim of a raging fever,

Thy mind from all reason will sever.

                Those eyes can mesmerize.

Ye will leave thy father and mother,

Home, kinfolk, sister and brother;

Of all the world ye will not bother,

And that besides her ye have no other,

                Too late ye will realize.

If remains she, by ye faithful,

To thy fate ye shall be grateful;

But if finds she one more youthful,

She will leave thee broken and sorrowful:

                Those eyes are a dangerous prize.

If fallen, thou must quickly awaken,

For too great is the risk to be taken,

And too painful is a heart that’s broken,

And too precious are the things forsaken

                For a pair of beautiful eyes.

Eric Anthony Trott

1982