Photograph by Frederick Hollyer – The Idiot Club of Kolk; left to right: Karin Stenbock, Eric Stenbock with his dachshund Trixie, Richard von Wistinghausen, Theophile von Wistinghausen – from Of Kings and Things, D. Tibet editor
A poem from, Myrtle, Rue and Cypress (1883), Count Eric Stenbock’s second collection of verses.
DRINKING SONG.
Drink of this wine, my dear,
The joys of youth are sweet;
Stretch forth thine hand, nor fear
Of its glowing fruits to eat.
Soon age shall cast its blight
On youth and youth’s delight;
Let us enjoy tonight,
The years are over fleet.
And, darling, let thy voice
Sing the sweet songs again,
That my spirit may rejoice
Before the time of pain.
Till age come, withering, scorning,
With withered wreaths adorning
The bitter house of mourning,
And make thy singing vain.
And kiss me once, my love,
With thy mouth of wine and fire,
Low murmuring, like the dove,
And fill thine heart’s desire.
Ere age thy soft skin hardens,
Blind age, that no fault pardons,
Cold age, whose withered gardens
Are hedged with thorn and briar.
