The One White Hair

        THE Wisest of the wise         Listen to pretty lies,           And love to hear them told;         Doubt not that Solomon         Listened to many a one,— Some in his youth, and more when he grew old.         I never sat among         The choir of Wisdom’s song,           But pretty lies loved I         As much as any king,—         When youth was on the wing, And (must it then be told?) when youth had quite gone by.         Alas! and I have not         The pleasant hour forgot,           When one pert lady said,—         “O Landor! I am quite         Bewildered with affright; I see (sit quiet now!) a white hair on your head!”         Another, more benign,         Drew out that hair of mine,           And in her own dark hair         Pretended she had found         That one, and twirled it round.— Fair as she was, she never was so fair.