O then my joys, So long distraught, shall rest Reposed soft in thy chaste breast, Exempt from all annoys. You had the power My wand'ring thoughts first to restrain, A child before, Now it is grown Confirm'd, do you it keep: And let 't safe in your bosom sleep, There ever made your own! T. Campion. CCXXXII That Time and absence proves, Rather helps than hurts to loves. ABSENCE, hear thou my protestation, Distance and length: Do what thou can for alteration, For hearts of truest mettle Absence doth join and time doth settle. Who loves a mistress of such quality, He soon hath found Affection's ground Beyond time, place, and all mortality. Absence is present, Time doth tarry. ABSENCE My senses want their outward motions Which now within Reason doth win, Redoubled in her secret notions : Like rich men that take pleasure In hiding more than handling treasure. By absence this good means I gain, Where none doth watch her, In some close corner of my brain: And so I both enjoy and miss her. J. Donne. 205 CCXXXIII SWEET love, renew thy force: be it not said So, love, be thou: although to-day thou fill The spirit of love with a perpetual dulness. Let this sad interim like the ocean be Which parts the shore, where two contracted new Come daily to the banks, that, when they see Return of love, more bless'd may be the view: Or call it winter, which, being full of care, Makes summer's welcome thrice more wish'd, more rare. CCXXXIV Shakespeare. BEING your slave, what should I do but tend Nor dare I chide the world-without-end hour Nor dare I question with my jealous thought So true a fool is love, that in your will Shakespeare. CCXXXV COMPLAINT OF THE ABSENCE OF HER LOVER BEING UPON THE SEA O HAPPY dames! that may embrace Help to bewail the woful case And eke the heavy plight COMPLAINT OF ABSENCE OF HER LOVER 207 Of me that wonted to rejoice The fortune of my pleasant choice: In ship, freight with rememberance With scalding sighs, for lack of gale, Alas! how oft in dreams I see Whose absent flame did make me burn: But when I find the lack, Lord! how I mourn! When other lovers in arms across Rejoice their chief delight, I stand the bitter night In my window where I may see Before the winds how the clouds flee: Lo! what a mariner love hath made me ! And in green waves when the salt flood A thousand fancies in that mood Assail my restless mind. 1 Alas! now drencheth 1 my sweet foe, And when the seas wax calm again My doubtful hope doth cause me plain; Thus is my wealth mingled with woe And of each thought a doubt doth grow; -Now he comes! Will he come? Alas! no, no. CCXXXVI VALEDICTION, FORBIDDING MOURNING As virtuous men pass mildly away, So let us melt, and make no noise, No tear-floods nor sigh-tempests move; "Twere profanation of our joys To tell the laity our love. Moving of th' earth brings harms and fears, Though greater far, are innocent. 1 ¿,e, is drenched or drowned. |