Come, sweet my lord and slide thy sword

Into its silken sheath,

Let night and stars our mantle be

And we, entwined beneath.

Put aside travail, doff thy mail,

Thy gauntlets and thy helm,

Layst thou head with breast as bed

Find peace within my realm.

Enough of war and toil and gore,

Of conquest and of strife,

Lips as swords yield best rewards

On the battlefield of life.

By firelight, good sir knight

Replenish now thy soul,

By tomorrow's light, renew your fight,

Let now heart- not drum-beats roll.

Love calls a coup, makes much ado

Of fleeting sweet desire,

Love calls a coup to conquer you

And kindles bright a fire.

Forget steel's test, and come to rest

Upon my loving bower,

I'll ravish thee with zealot's zest

With kisses I'll thee shower.

For all of time this night be mine,

Succumb now to my charms,

My flesh and thine shall intertwine

In passion's call to arms.

When, at last, the moment's passed

And sleep doth thee enfold

In tenderness my gaze be cast

Upon thy features, bold,

And to the strong I'll sing my song

Of love's delightful test,

Holding tight all the night long

The one whom I love best.

With dawn of day, to hateful fray

For hours or forever, I know not which,

I will lose thee, and so I pray:

Lose now to me thyself in prurient pitch.