THE WISEST of the wise <br />Listen to pretty lies <br />And love to hear them told; <br />Doubt not that Solomon <br />Listen’d to many a one,— <br />Some in his youth, and more when he grew old. <br /> <br />I never was among <br />The choir of Wisdom’s song, <br />But pretty lies lov’d I <br />As much as any king, <br />When youth was on the wing, <br />And (must it then be told?) when youth had quite gone by. <br /> <br />Alas! and I have not <br />The pleasant hour forgot <br />When one pert lady said, <br />“O Walter! I am quite <br />Bewilder’d with affright! <br />I see (sit quiet now) a white hair on your head!” <br /> <br />Another more benign <br />Snipp’d it away from mine, <br />And in her own dark hair <br />Pretended it was found… <br />She leap’d, and twirl’d it round… <br />Fair as she was, she never was so fair!<br /><br />Walter Savage Landor<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-one-white-hair/
