Aubade From Khandro.

[Khandro]

Sweet Disorder.

A sweet disorder in the dress
Kindles in clothes, a wantonness
A lawn about the shoulders' thrown
Into a fine distraction
An erring lace, which here and there
Enthralls the crimson stomacher
A cuff neglectful, and thereby
Ribbons to flow confusedly
A winning wave, deserving note
In the tempestuous petticoat
A careless shoestring, in whose tie
I see a wild civility
More bewitch me than when art
Is too precise in every part

Robert Herrick circa 1610

[margarettom]

Not seen this poem before Khandro. I like it very much though. Thanks.

[CrapAtCryptics]

Its strange that such an elegant piece was penned at a time when the greater majority of the country couldnt read or write.

[Khandro]

I read it at first light this morning (hence the Heading) & confess I didn't know what a stomacher was - let alone a crimson one, it isn't in my short dictionary but looking it up online, I find;

'A decorative V-shaped panel of stiff material worn over the chest and stomach by men and women in the 16th century, later only by women./

[Pooka1950]

I have always like this one

Upon Julia's Clothes
BY ROBERT HERRICK

Whenas in silks my Julia goes, 
Then, then (methinks) how sweetly flows 
That liquefaction of her clothes. 
Next, when I cast mine eyes, and see 
That brave vibration each way free, 
O how that glittering taketh me! 

[Tilly2]

He was a bit racy for a clergyman. :-)

[Rosie29]

Thank you Khandro and Pooka - beautiful - and what refreshing things to find on AB x