Sound and meter

[Tzara]

How about this? I think it's marvelous, but I do love me some Edna.

“I think I should have loved you presently”
BY EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY
I think I should have loved you presently,
And given in earnest words I flung in jest;
And lifted honest eyes for you to see,
And caught your hand against my cheek and breast;
And all my pretty follies flung aside
That won you to me, and beneath your gaze,
Naked of reticence and shorn of pride,
Spread like a chart my little wicked ways.
I, that had been to you, had you remained,
But one more waking from a recurrent dream,
Cherish no less the certain stakes I gained,
And walk your memory’s halls, austere, supreme,
A ghost in marble of a girl you knew
Who would have loved you in a day or two.

Vincent was a wonderful poet, an intriguing personality, and one hot babe.

This is an interesting sonnet because of the elegance of the substitutions. I read it this way:

I Think I Should Have Loved You Presently
Edna St. Vincent Millay

I think / I should / have loved / you pres / ent·ly,
And giv / en in ear / nest words / I flung / in jest;
And lif / ted hon / est eyes / for you / to see,
And caught / your hand / a·gainst / my cheek / and breast;
And all / my pret / ty fol / lies flung / a·side
That won / you to / me, and / be·neath / your gaze,
Na·ked / of ret / i·cence / and shorn / of pride,
Spread like / a chart / my lit / tle wick / ed ways.
I, that / had been / to you, / had you / re·mained,
But one / more wak / ing from / a re·cur / rent dream,
Cherish / no less / the cer / tain stakes / I gained,
And walk / your mem / ory’s halls, / aus·tere, / su·preme,
A ghost / in mar / ble of / a girl / you knew
Who would / have loved / you in / a day / or two.​

The variations from strict iambic pentameter give the poem a kind of lilt, or rush, at certain points. kind of like what I might think its author would have given me, had I ever met her.

 

[robertreams]

Wiliiamson Zinger killed poor Hattie Carol
With a cane that he twirled 'round his diamond ringed finger,
At a Baltimore hotel society gatherin'
and the cops was called in and his weapon took from him
As the rode him in custody, down to the station
And booked Williamson Zinger for first degree murder;

Oh but you who philosophize disgrace -- OH but YOU WHO phil OS o PHIZE dis GRACE
And criticize all fear -- and CRIT i CIZE all FEAR
Take the rag away from your face -- TAKE the RAG aWAY from your FACE
Now ain't the time for your tears.[/I] -- NOW ain't the TIME for your TEARS