poems about love

Of old, or knight or king,
Each feared that Time would bring
Unto the block his head.
Rest peacefully, ye dead:
Yours was a gentle crime.
Now to the block by Time
(Praise the collector's art!)
Is brought one's heart.

Think not, my love, when secret grief
Preys on my sadden'd heart,
Think not I wish a mean relief,
Or would from sorrow part.

Dearly I prize the sighs sincere,
That my true fondness prove,
Nor would I wish to check the tear,
That flows from hapless love!

Alas! tho' doom'd to hope in vain
The joys that love requite,
Yet will I cherish all its pain,
With sad, but dear delight.

This treasur'd grief, this lov'd despair,
My lot for ever be;
But, dearest, may the pangs I bear
Be never known to thee!

Marry thee! No; that wou'd not show my Love;
My Hatred to thee, rather, wou'd it prove:
I, but because I love and honour thee,
Wou'd not thy Lord, but Humble Servant be;
I'm now your Slave; Marriage wou'd make you mine,
If you to make me sure to you design,
All that we have, but our Hands, let us join;
My Mistress be, to keep still your Command;
Be loose with your Legs, fetter not my Hand;
Let our Love, to last more, be less restrain'd;
Be free still, and give Liberty to me,
To make me more thy Slave, chain'd Lover be;

When lingering Love belated came,
And found the willing spirit young,
Day's heaven was all an airy flame,
To skies of Night a sunshine clung,
O'er wild and waste a charm was flung.
Earth was not earth, or sea the same
When lingering Love belated came,
And found the willing spirit young.

And now, though fires of Love be tame,
And songs of Love no more be sung,
Be patient, heart, nor idly blame
The lip unkissed, the lyre unstrung.
Lingering he went who lingering came,
And left the soul for ever young.

O, the mind is a bird, with a choice of flight
It can fly to the top of the tree,
Singing “Love, Love, Love,” all day and all night,
Merrily, airily,
Faithfully, cheerily
Fly high, Mind!—Or wilt thou fly low?
Wilt thou go,
Draggingly, creepingly,
Slowly and feebly,
Through the mud and the mire,
Through the world's sharp desire,
And the passion of sense?
O Mind, get thee hence.
Having seen, leave the sight.
Get thee up! Get thee higher!
Rise, Mind! Try a flight!
Seek the sweet, green tops of the trees,

Zion's the city where I dwell,
Surrounded by the hosts of hell;
But glory soon will be my home,
Where sin and hell can never come.

All then among the saints below,
Where Jesus deigns his face to show,
Let me be favour'd with a place,
Constant in all the means of grace.

Oh lovely place, where first my heart
Was taught for baneful sin to smart!
Where first my eyes were brought to see
That Jesus liv'd and dy'd for me!

Where would I dwell, and learn to sing
The grace and love of Zion's King,

Florida, fair Florida, land of my birth,
Queen of the continent, gem of the earth.
Land where the skies are blue as the sea,
Where the bright laughing waters are flowing and free.
Land of fair sunlight,
Land of soft starlight,
Land where the moon is queen of the night,
I love thee, I love thee with passionate love.

Thou liest wrapped in the ocean's arms,
Old Neptune feasts upon thy charms,
And runs to kiss thy coral shore,
As a lover speeds to his lady's bower.
Beautiful Florida!
Lovely Florida!

My Love I can compare with nought on earth,
And all my fear is only lest she be,
Like all we prize too much, removed from me,
'Mong amaranths to bloom of heavenly birth.
The fields of Cam bear witness of her worth;
The pleasant Lea soft murmurs in her praise;
Fair Cheshunt still rejoiceth in her mirth;
And Thamis at her feet his treasure lays!
Italia bright would claim her for its own;
But Albion, the seat of all my bliss,
Divides with it the boast, and prouder is
Of this than the chief jewel of her crown.

'T IS hard from love to spare the heart,
'Tis pain to feel his wounding dart,
But greater still, the loss, the pain,
To love, alas! and love in vain.
Wit, wisdom, birth, and beauty fade,
The beams of dazling gold display'd,
Curs'd be the wretch, the first who sold
His birth-right liberty, for gold,
Gold, that can murd'ring hands employ,
And brothers, fathers, sons, destroy;
Gold unresisted rules the ball,
By gold whole hosts, whole nations fall,
Yet more my sighs with grief reveal,
That love the force of gold can feel.

As of old the wildered dove,
Wandering over waters dark,
Finding neither fount nor grove,
Sought shelter in her home, the ark,

So my little one, my love,
Turns my restless heart to thee,
Weary, wheresoe'er she rove
O'er the inhospitable sea.

Time hath linked us heart to heart
With links of mutual memory,
Of gentle power if aught would part
To bind us close until we die.

If the world arise to sever,
Steals a tiny spirit-hand,
Glides to reunite us ever,
From the holy silent land.