“My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand <br />to smooth your rough touch with a tender kiss, ” <br />said Romeo, when somewhat underhand <br />he took the first step towards boyish bliss. <br />“But saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch, <br />and holy palmers kiss with palm to palm, ” <br />said Juliet, whose thoughts were very much <br />impervious to Romeo’s great charm. <br />“But now, dear saint, ” he said to her, “let lips <br />do what hands do.” And so around the sun <br />that casts its shadow, causing moon’s eclipse, <br />she orbited and soon would be undone, <br />for once four blushing pilgrims had united <br />until the daybreak they remained benighted. <br /> <br />Inspired by the sonnet in “Romeo And Juliet, ” Act V, Scene V. <br /> <br />ROMEO <br /> <br />If I profane with my unworthiest hand <br /> This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: <br /> My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand <br /> To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. <br /> <br />JULIET <br /> <br /> Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, <br /> Which mannerly devotion shows in this; <br /> For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, <br /> And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss. <br /> <br />ROMEO <br /> <br /> Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too? <br /> <br />JULIET <br /> <br /> Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer. <br /> <br />ROMEO <br /> <br /> O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; <br /> They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair. <br /> <br />JULIET <br /> <br /> Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake. <br /> <br />ROMEO <br /> <br /> Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take. <br /> <br />2/26/06<br /><br />gershon hepner<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/two-blushing-pilgrims/
