Than thou canst be, when thou dost miss; Men leave thee by obtaining, and straight flee Some other way again to thee; And that's a pleasant country, without doubt, LOVE'S INGRATITUDE. I LITTLE thought, thou fond ingrateful sin! When first I let thee in, And gave thee but a part That thou wouldst e'er have grown So false or strong to make it all thine own. At mine own breast with care I fed thee still, Letting thee suck thy fill; And daintily I nourish'd thee With idle thoughts and poetry! What ill returns dost thou allow ! I fed thee then, and thou dost starve me now. There was a time when thou wast cold and chill, Nor hadst the power of doing ill; Into my bosom did I take This frozen and benumbed snake, Not fearing from it any harm; But now it stings that breast which made it warm. What cursed weed 's this Love! but one grain sow, And the whole field 't will overgrow; Straight will it choke up and devour Each wholesome herb and beauteous flower! Nay, unless something soon I do, "T will kill, I fear, my very laurel too. But now all's gone-I now, alas! complain, And is so settled in the throne, That 't were rebellion now to claim mine own, THE FRAILTY. I KNOW 't is sordid and 't is low (All this as well as you I know) Which I so hotly now pursue (I know all this as well as you); But, whilst this cursed flesh I bear, And all the weakness and the baseness there, Alas! alas! it will be always so. In vain, exceedingly in vain, I rage sometimes, and bite my chain; With teeth which ne'er will break it quite? For, if the chiefest Christian Head Was by this sturdy tyrant buffeted, What wonder is it if weak I be slain? COLDNESS. AS water fluid is, till it do grow So in warm seasons Love does loosely flow; A woman's rigour, and disdain, Does his swift course restrain. Though constant and consistent now it be, It melts, and glides apace into the sea, So the sun's amorous play Kisses the ice away. You may in vulgar loves find always this; Of a more firm and perfect nature is; Though heat dissolve the ice again, ENJOYMENT. THEN like some wealthy island thou shalt lie, Thou, like fair Albion to the sailors' sight, With loving arms for ever clasping thee. But I'll embrace thee gentlier far than so; Whilst thy unwasted fountain feeds my love. Such heat and vigour shall our kisses bear, As if like doves we 'engender'd there: No bound nor rule my pleasures shall endure, In love there's none too much an Epicure: Nought shall my hands or lips control; I'll kiss thee through, I'll kiss thy very soul. Yet nothing but the night our sports shall know; Creeping so far beneath the sea, Men, out of wisdom; women, out of pride, The pleasant thefts of love do hide : That may secure thee; but thou 'ast yet from me A more infallible security; For there's no danger I should tell The joys which are to me unspeakable. SLEEP. IN vain, thou drowsy God! I thee invoke ; Whose flame's so pure that it sends up no smoke. Yet how do tears but from some vapours rise? The fate of Egypt I sustain, And never feel the dew of rain, From clouds which in the head appear; But all my too much moisture owe To overflowings of the heart below. Thou, who dost men (as nights to colours do) Bring all to an equality! |