THE COMPUTATION FOR my first twenty years, since yesterday, I scarce believed thou couldst be gone away; For forty more I fed on favours past, And forty on hopes, that thou wouldst they might last; Tears drown'd one hundred, and sighs blew out two; Am, by being dead, immortal; can ghosts die? THE LEGACY WHEN last I died, and, dear, I die As often as from thee I go, Though it be but an hour ago (And lovers' hours be full eternity) I can remember yet, that I Something did say, and something did bestow, Though I be dead, which meant me I should be I heard me say, "Tell her anon, That myself," that is you, not I, "Did kill me; " and when I felt me die, I bid me send my heart, when I was gone; But I alas! could there find none, When I had ripp'd, and search'd where hearts should lie; It kill'd me again, that I who still was true In life, in my last will should cozen you. Yet I found something like a heart, It was not good, it was not bad, It was entire to none, and few had part; prellen As good as could be made by art It seem'd, and therefore for our loss be sad. A VALEDICTION OF MY NAME IN THE WINDOW 17 I My name engraved herein Doth contribute my firmness to this glass, Which ever since that charm hath been As hard as that which graved it was ; Thine eye will give it price enough, to mock The diamonds of either rock. 18 II 'Tis much that glass should be As all-confessing, and through-shine as I ; III As no one point nor dash, Which are but accessòries to this name, The showers and tempests can outwash, You this entireness better may fulfill, IV Or if too hard and deep This learning be, for a scratch'd name to teach, Lovers' mortality to preach; Being still with you, the muscle, sinew, and vein Which tile this house, will come again, VI Till my return repair And recompact my scatter'd body so, Into such characters as gravèd be When these stars have supremacy. |