Classic Poem

Sith my life from life is parted,
Death come take thy portion;
Who survives when life is murdred,
Lives by mere extortion:
All that live, and not in God,
Couche their life in deathe's abode.

Selye starres must nedes leve shyninge
When the sunne is shadowed,
Borowed streames refrayne their runninge
When hed-springes are hindered:
One that lives by other's breathe,
Dyeth also by his deathe.

O trewe life! sith Thou hast left me,
Mortall life is tedious;
Death it is to live without Thee,
Death of all most odious:
Turne againe or take me to Thee,
Let me dye or live Thou in me!

Where the truth once was and is not,
Shadowes are but vanitye;
Shewinge want, that helpe they cannot,
Signes, not salves, of miserye.
Paynted meate no hunger feedes,
Dyinge life eche death exceedes.

With my love my life was nestled
In the summe of happynes;
From my love my life is wrested
To a world of heavynes:
O lett love my life remove,
Sith I live not where I love!

O my soule! what did unloose thee
From thy sweete captivitye,
God, not I, did still possesse thee,
His, not myne, thy libertie:
O too happy thrall thou wert,
When thy prison was His hart.

Spitefull speare that brak'st this prison,
Seate of all felicitye,
Workinge thus with dooble treason
Love's and life's deliverye:
Though my life thou dravst awaye,
Maugre thee my love shall staye.