I told him
that even in love —
that thought for the without —
one must preserve oneself.
I told him
a little love is admissible,
all-love suicidal.
I told him,
even if one love a little,
one must preserve oneself.
I told him,
even in fair play —
the love phrase of commerce
which calls for a recognized balance
between two factors or people —
one must preserve oneself.
It's fine to say but not fair,
not fair to oneself —
" My dear sir, I'd like to offer you more than you ask — "
that's an instance of loving,

Whatever tears mine eyes may weep,
One precious thing I still may keep,
Till earth and time shall end;
I think it will be mine in Heaven,
This perfect gift that God has given —
It is your love, my friend.

Whatever tears mine eyes may weep,
One precious thing I still may keep,
Till earth and time shall end;
I think it will be mine in Heaven,
This perfect gift that God has given —
It is your love, my friend.

You shall have love — your share of it;
And honor, too, may be your own;
And gold perhaps, and care of it;
Yet shall you whisper, when alone:
Whatever heart may envy me,
I am as poor as I can be.

You shall have love — your share of it;
And honor, too, may be your own;
And gold perhaps, and care of it;
Yet shall you whisper, when alone:
Whatever heart may envy me,
I am as poor as I can be.

Love is a sword,
a million-bladed sword
slashing the petty pates
and sticking the smug
stomachs of the past
till the pink blood dribble,
and with a roar of ribald song,
flaunting the laughing boyish present
against the stare and whisper
of the doddering future!

Willow: Why do you bend so low
with your staring into the stream?
Only to see how deep it is!

Fool: Do you think you're beardless still
or meditating suicide?
Only to find if one might wade!

Lilies and cat-tails belong to the young,
and the water is cold this time of year?
Only to touch my love over there!

Your love? you love? and which is she?
That wrinkled gnarled old bandy-leg?
The one with the gay white limbs!

Dotard: What could she see in you?
She'd yank your beard and laugh away?
She's nodding her head at me!

A Virgin, Wife , and Widow three that One
Held rarely perfect in like Vnion ,
Incites my Muse: nay, more, doth her constrain
To empt my Pen of Praise , of Wit my Braine
In her deserued honor: she whose all
Was nought but good ; yet so, as we may call
That good but nought (and iustly) if the same
Giue not her goodnesse glory more than fame!
A Maide , in whom Virginitie gaue place
(Though most exact) to Modestie and Grace .
A Wife (who like old Josephs blessed Bride )
Though wedded , but unbedded till she dide,

Before an Altar

I wish I were the little key
That locks Love's Captive in,
And lets Him out to go and free
A sinful heart from sin.

I wish I were the little bell
That tinkles for the Host,
When God comes down each day to dwell
With hearts He loves the most.

I wish I were the chalice fair,
That holds the Blood of Love,
When every flash lights holy prayer
Upon its way above.

He who wills life wills its condition sweet,
Having made love its mother, joy its quest,
That its perpetual sequence might not rest
On reason's dictum, cold and too discreet;

For reason moves with cautious, careful feet,
Debating whether life or death were best,
And why pale pain, not ruddy mirth, is guest
In many a heart which life hath set to beat.

But I will cast my fate with love, and trust
Her honeyed heart that guides the pollened bee
And sets the happy wing-seeds fluttering free;

There is a flower, whose modest eye
Is turn'd with looks of light and love,
Who breathes her softest, sweetest sigh.
Whene'er the sun is bright above.

Let clouds obscure, or darkness veil,
Her fond idolatry is fled,
Her sighs no more their sweets exhale.
The loving eye is cold — and dead.

Canst thou not trace a moral here,
False flatterer of the prosperous hour?
Let but an adverse cloud appear,
And Thou art faithless, as the Flower!

I saw a little burnished fly
Within my mistress' bodice lie,
Sipping lovely stolen sweets
From her ample rosy teats.

" Small adulterer," said I,
" Dost thou know where thou dost lie?
'Tis my lady's bosom fine!
And thou dost sip what is not thine"