Women

Every man in Ireland caught
    By some girl with eyes of blue
Dolefully laments his lot
    Unless her hair be golden too.

What has this to do with me?
    No fanaticism I share
For blue or black in someone’s eye
    Or the colour of her hair.

Golden mane or rosy grace
    Can never be my whole delight.
Dusky be the woman’s face
    And her hair as black as night.

Black was the dam of her who brought
    Troy into the dust of old,
And the girl for whom they fought,
    Helen, was all white and gold.

Beautiful surely were the two
    Though one was dark and one was fair.
No one who ever saw them knew
    Which was the lovelier of the pair.

In little shells it may befall
    The loveliest of pearls is found,
And God created three things small—
    The horse, the woman and the hound.

Public confession suits my case,
    And all may hear what I would say—
In women, such is my disgrace,
    I never found a thing astray.

Though some are small I like them neat
    And some are tall of them I sing;
Two long legs to grace the sheet
    Are satisfaction for a king.
 
Foam may be brighter than her skin
    Or snow upon the mountain cold,
I’ll take what pack I find her in
    And think her sweeter for being old.

Nor should I slight a relative
    For someone from outside the state;
Though novelty keep love alive
    Kinsmen love at double rate.

Nor do I ask for intellect:
    A little scholarship will pass;
All that of women I expect
    Is to know water-cress from grass.

I don’t require them cold or warm;
    Widows have knowledge and good sense
But there is still a certain charm
    In a young girl’s inexperience.
I like them in Church, demure and slow,
    Solemn without, relaxed at home; 
I like them full of push and go
    When love has left me overcome.

I find no fault in them, by God,
    But being old and gone to waste
Who still are girls at forty odd—
    And every man may suit his taste.

        Richard Burke

Source: Frank O'Connor; The Little Monasteries; Dublin; Dolmen Press;
1963, 1976 (1976 ed.); pp.25-27