Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. II. The Seventeenth Century: Ben Jonson to Dryden

Andrew Marvell (1621–1678)

Young Love

COME, little infant, love me now,

While thine unsuspected years

Clear thine aged father’s brow

From cold jealousy and fears.

Pretty surely ’twere to see

By young Love old Time beguil’d,

While our sportings are as free

As the nurse’s with the child.

Common beauties stay fifteen;

Such as yours should swifter move,

Whose fair blossoms are too green

Yet for lust, but not for love.

Love as much the snowy lamb,

Or the wanton kid, does prize

As the lusty bull or ram

For his morning sacrifice.

Now then love me: Time may take

Thee before thy time away;

Of this need we ’ll virtue make,

And learn love before we may.

So we win of doubtful fate,

And, if good to us she meant,

We that good shall antedate,

Or, if ill, that ill prevent.

Thus do kingdoms, frustrating

Other titles to their crown,

In the cradle crown their king,

So all foreign claims to drown.

So to make all rivals vain,

Now I crown thee with my love:

Crown me with thy love again.

And we both shall monarchs prove.