Who, being look'd on, ducks as quickly in; But when her lips were ready for his pay, Never did passenger in summer's heat turn. Her help she sees, but help she cannot get ; "O, pity," gan she cry, "flint-hearted boy! 95 "T is but a kiss I beg; why art thou coy? "I have been wooed, as I entreat thee now, Even by the stern and direful god of war, Whose sinewy neck in battle ne'er did bow, Who conquers where he comes in every jar; 100 Yet hath he been my captive and my slave, And begg'd for that which thou unask'd shalt have. O'erworn, despised, rheumatic, and cold, Thick-sighted, barren, lean, and lacking juice, Then mightst thou pause, for then I were not for thee; But having no defects, why dost abhor me? "Thou canst not see one wrinkle in my brow; Mine eyes are grey and bright and quick in turning; My beauty as the spring doth yearly grow, My flesh is soft and plump, my marrow burning; My smooth moist hand, were it with thy hand felt, Would in thy palm dissolve, or seem to melt. "Bid me discourse, I will enchant thine ear, Not gross to sink, but light, and will aspire. 'Witness this primrose bank whereon I lie; These forceless flowers like sturdy trees sup port me; Two strengthless doves will draw me through the sky From morn till night, even where I list to sport me. Is love so light, sweet boy, and may it be That thou should think it heavy unto thee? "Is thine own heart to thine own face affected? Can thy right nd seize love upon thy left? And died to kiss his shadow in the brook. "Torches are made to light, jewels to wear, Dainties to taste, fresh beauty for the use. Herbs for their smell, and sappy plants to bear; Things growing to themselves are growth's abuse. Seeds spring from seeds and beauty breedeth beauty; Thou wast begot; to get it is thy duty. "Upon the earth's increase why shouldst thou feed, Unless the earth with thy increase be fed? And so, in spite of death, thou dost survive, By this the love-sick queen began to sweat. For where they lay the shadow had forsook them, And Titan, tired in the mid-day heat. His love, perceiving how he is enrag'd. His testy master goeth about to take him; As they were mad, unto the wood they hie them, Out-stripping crows that strive to over-fly them. All swoln with chafing, down Adonis sits, Banning his boisterous and unruly beast; And now the happy season once more fits. That love-sick Love by pleading may be blest; For lovers say, the heart hath treble wrong When it is barr'd the aidance of the tongue. An oven that is stopp'd, or river stay'd, The client breaks, as desperate in his suit. He sees her coming, and begins to glow. Or ivory in an alabaster band; So white a friend engirts so white a foe. go; 380 My day's delight is past, my horse is gone, Thus she replies: "Thy palfrey, as he should, The sea hath bounds, but deep desire hath Melodious discord, heavenly tune harshsounding, Ear's deep sweet music, and heart's deep sore wounding. "Had I no eyes but ears, my ears would love That inward beauty and invisible; Or were I deaf, thy outward parts would move Each part in me that were but sensible: 435 Though neither eyes nor ears to hear nor see, Yet should I be in love by touching thee. "Say, that the sense of feeling were bereft me, And that I could not see, nor hear, nor touch, 440 And nothing but the very smell were left me, Yet would my love to thee be still as much; For from the stillitory of thy face excelling Comes breath perfum'd that breedeth love by smelling. 446 "But, O, what banquet wert thou to the taste, Being nurse and feeder of the other four! Would they not wish the feast might ever last, And bid Suspicion double-lock the door, Lest Jealousy, that sour unwelcome guest, Should, by his stealing in, disturb the feast? 450 Once more the ruby-colour'd portal open'd, Which to his speech did honey passage yield; Like a red morn, that ever yet betoken'd Wreck to the seaman, tempest to the field, 465 And at his look she flatly falleth down, Claps her pale cheek, till clapping makes it red; And all amaz'd brake off his late intent, 470 206 "Long may they kiss each other, for this cure! "Pure lips, sweet seals in my soft lips imprinted, What bargains may I make, still to be sealing? To sell myself I can be well contented, So thou wilt buy and pay and use good dealing; Which purchase if thou make, for fear of slips Set thy seal-manual on my wax-red lips. "A thousand kisses buys my heart from me : And pay them at thy leisure, one by one. What is ten hundred touches unto thee? Are they not quickly told and quickly gone? Say, for non-payment that the debt should double, Is twenty hundred kisses such a trouble?" "Fair queen," quoth he, "if any love you owe me, Measure my strangeness with my unripe years; Before I know myself, seek not to know me: 525 No fisher but the ungrown fry forbears; The mellow plum doth fall, the green sticks fast, Or being early pluck'd is sour to taste. "Look, the world's comforter with weary gait His day's hot task hath ended in the west; 30 The owl, night's herald, shrieks; 't is very late; The sheep are gone to fold, birds to their nest; And coal-black clouds that shadow heaven's light |