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Home  »  The Oxford Book of English Verse  »  215. Beauty Clear and Fair

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

John Fletcher. 1579–1625

215. Beauty Clear and Fair

BEAUTY clear and fair, 
      Where the air 
Rather like a perfume dwells; 
  Where the violet and the rose 
  Their blue veins and blush disclose,         5
And come to honour nothing else: 
 
      Where to live near 
      And planted there 
Is to live, and still live new; 
  Where to gain a favour is  10
  More than light, perpetual bliss— 
Make me live by serving you! 
 
Dear, again back recall 
      To this light, 
A stranger to himself and all!  15
  Both the wonder and the story 
  Shall be yours, and eke the glory; 
I am your servant, and your thrall.