Almost the whole page is taken up with lines of poetry:
The sweets of the Bee and the bloom of the Rose
Did fair Josephine in her May day disclose
Contented had lived as the day rolld its round
But to Wills Cottage [‘by’ inserted above] love at last found
She craved for admittance [?despairingly] poor
For pitys Kind sake pray open the door
Alas simple maid she believes his sad call
When love drops a tear can that tear ever fall
The blossom of hope even [‘thou’ inserted above] by Cupid carest [i.e. ‘caressed’]
Looked languid and dropt upon Cupid possest
Then as false as the breeze as false as unkind
He left her he left her & sorrow behind
1The poem is complete in itself. Jack Lindsay has suggested Turner wrote it ‘to some tune so that he could sing [it] at the right sort of gathering ... in a drawing-room’ (unlike his poem ‘Dear Molly’ – see folios folios 29 recto (
D07400) and 29 verso (
D07401), and folios 31 recto (
D07403) and 31 verso (
D07404)).
2 For a concordance of further extensive passages of poetry in this book, see the sketchbook Introduction.
