The Songs of Bilitis: II. Elegies At Mytilene: Sea-Side Promenade

SEA-SIDE PROMENADE

As we were walking on the shore, unspeaking, wrapped to the chin in our dark woolen robes, some happy young girls passed by.

"Ah! it's Bilitis and Mnasidika! See the lovely little squirrel that we caught: it is soft as a bird and frightened as a rabbit.

"At Lydia's house we'll put it in a cage, and give it lots of milk and salad-leaves. It's female, and will live a long long time."

And the mad little creatures ran along. But we, unspeaking, sat upon the beach, I on a rock and she upon the sand, and we looked far out to sea.