| Seccombe and Arber, comps. Elizabethan Sonnets. 1904. | | | | Diana | The Sixth Decade
Sonnet III. A Carver, having loved too long in vain | | Henry Constable (1562–1613) |
| | | A CARVER, having loved too long in vain, | |
| Hewed out the portraiture of VENUS’ son | |
| In marble rock, upon the which did rain | |
| Small drizzling drops, that from a fount did run: | |
| Imagining the drops would either wear | 5 |
| His fury out, or quench his living flame; | |
| But when he saw it bootless did appear, | |
| He swore the water did augment the same. | |
| So I, that seek in verse to carve thee out, | |
| Hoping thy beauty will my flame allay, | 10 |
| Viewing my verse and poems all throughout, | |
| Find my will rather to my love obey. | |
| That, with the Carver, I my work do blame, | |
| Finding it still th’augmenter of my flame. | | | | |
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