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 ; 'Tis more that it shows thee to thee, And clear reflects thee to thine eye.

But all such rules love's magic can undo;

As no one point nor dash,

Which are but accessòries to this name,

The showers and tempests can outwash,
So shall all times find me the same;

You this entireness better may fulfill,

Who have the pattern with you still.

IV

Or if too hard and deep

This learning be, for a scratch'd name to teach,
It as a given death's-head keep,19

Lovers' mortality to preach;
Or think this ragged bony name to be
My ruinous anatomy.

V

Then, as all my souls be

Emparadised in you - in whom alone

I understand, and grow, and see

The rafters of my body, bone,

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,
As all the virtuous powers which are

Fix'd in the stars are said to flow

Into such characters as gravèd be

When these stars have supremacy.

VII

So since this name was cut,

When love and grief their exaltation had,

No door 'gainst this name's influence shut ;
As much more loving, as more sad,

'T will make thee; and thou shouldst, till I return, Since I die daily, daily mourn.

A VALEDICTION OF WEEPING

LET me pour

forth

My tears before thy face, while I stay here,
For thy face coins them, and thy stamp they bear,
And by this mintage they are something worth;
For thus they be

Pregnant of thee.

Fruits of much grief they are, emblèms of more ;
When a tear falls, that thou falls which it bore;
So thou and I are nothing then, when on a divers shore.

On a round ball

A workman, that hath copies by, can lay

An Europe, Afric, and an Asiä,

And quickly make that, which was nothing, all;

So doth each tear,

Which thee doth wear,

A globe, yea world, by that impression grow,
Till thy tears mix'd with mine do overflow

This world, by waters sent from thee, my heaven, dissolvèd so.

O! More than moon,

Draw not up seas to drown me in thy sphere;

Weep me not dead in thine arms, but forbear
To teach the sea, what it may do too soon;
Let not the wind

Example find

To do me more harm than it purposeth.

Since thou and I sigh one another's breath,

Whoe'er sighs most is cruellest, and hastes the other's death.