A Love Poem
A Love Poem from part of the TJ collection that holds letters from his relatives.
This was written by Miss Elizabeth Coates during her courtship of William Slater, an English cousin of Thomas Jackson who had previously lived for a few years with TJ and his American family.
After you have done your best to transcribe this extract, you can compare your version with ours.
Won’t You?
Do you remember when you heard
My lips breathe love’s first flattering word?
You do sweet- don’t you?
When having wandered all the day,
Locked arm in arm, I dare to say,
You’ll love me- won’t you?
And when you blushed and could not speak
I fondly kissed your glowing cheek,
Did I affront you?
Oh, surely not; your eyes expressed
No wrath, but said, perhaps in jest
“You’ll love me, won’t you?”
I’m sure my eyes replied, “I will”
And you believe that promise still
You do, sweet,- don’t you.
Yes, yes, when age has made my eyes
unfit for questions or replies.
You’ll love me, won’t you?
Ambassador Notes
This was not just a beautiful poem clearly expressing Miss Coates’ love for William Slater. At the same time, it was also a poignant statement expressing hope that they would live together into old age. In those days, childbirth was a risky process which had already taken the life of William’s first wife.
