| Seccombe and Arber, comps. Elizabethan Sonnets. 1904. | | | | Sonnets and Poetical Translations | | VIII. Woe! woe to me! On me, return the smart! | | Sir Philip Sidney (1554–1586) |
| | | WOE! woe to me! On me, return the smart! | |
| My burning tongue hath bred my mistress pain. | |
| For oft, in pain, to PAIN, my painful heart, | |
| With her due praise, did of my state complain. | |
| I praised her eyes, whom never chance doth move; | 5 |
| Her breath, which makes a sour answer sweet; | |
| Her milken breasts, the nurse of childlike love; | |
| Her legs, O legs! Her aye well stepping feet: | |
| PAIN heard her praise, and full of inward fire | |
| (First sealing up my heart, as prey of his) | 10 |
| He flies to her; and boldened with desire, | |
| Her face, this Age’s praise, the thief doth kiss! | |
| O PAIN! I now recant the praise I gave, | |
| And swear she is not worthy thee to have. | | | | |
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