| |
| O DEAR life! when shall it be | |
| That mine eyes, thine eyes may see? | |
| And in them, thy mind discover, | |
| Whether absence have had force | |
| Thy remembrance to divorce | 5 |
| From the image of the lover? | |
| |
| Or if I myself find not, | |
| After parting ought forgot; | |
| Nor be barred from Beauty’s treasure; | |
| Let no tongue aspire to tell | 10 |
| In what high joys I shall dwell. | |
| Only Thought aims at the pleasure. | |
| |
| Thought therefore I will send thee! | |
| To take up the place for me; | |
| Long I will not after tarry. | 15 |
| There, unseen, thou mayest be bold, | |
| Those fair wonders to behold, | |
| Which in them, my Hopes do carry. | |
| |
| Thought! see thou no place forbear! | |
| Enter bravely everywhere! | 20 |
| Seize on all to her belonging! | |
| But if thou wouldst guarded be, | |
| Fearing her beams; take with thee | |
| Strength of Liking, Rage of Longing! | |
| |
[The next three stanzas first appeared in the edition of 1598.]
Think of that most grateful time! | 25 |
| When my leaping heart will climb | |
| In my lips to have his biding! | |
| There those roses for to kiss, | |
| Which do breathe a sugared bliss; | |
| Opening rubies, pearls dividing. | 30 |
| |
| Think of my most princely power! | |
| When I blessèd shall devour | |
| With my greedy lickorous senses | |
| Beauty, Music, Sweetness, Love: | |
| While she doth against me prove | 35 |
| Her strong darts, but weak defences. | |
| |
| Think! think of those dallyings! | |
| When with dovelike murmurings, | |
| With glad moaning passèd anguish; | |
| We change eyes, and heart for heart | 40 |
| Each to other do depart: | |
| Joying till joy make us languish. | |
| |
| O my Thought! my Thoughts surcease! | |
| Thy delights, my woes increase. | |
| My life melts with too much thinking. | 45 |
| Think no more! but die in me, | |
| Till thou shalt revivèd be; | |
At her lips my nectar drinking.
F I N I S. Sir P[HILIP] S[IDNEY]. | |
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