Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume II. Love. 1904. | | | | II. Love’s Nature | | The Shepherd and the King | | Robert Greene (1558–1592) |
| | | AH! what is love? It is a pretty thing, | |
| As sweet unto a shepherd as a king, | |
| And sweeter too; | |
| For kings have cares that wait upon a crown, | |
| And cares can make the sweetest face to frown: | 5 |
| Ah then, ah then, | |
| If country loves such sweet desires gain, | |
| What lady would not love a shepherd swain? | |
| |
| His flocks are folded; he comes home at night | |
| As merry as a king in his delight, | 10 |
| And merrier too; | |
| For kings bethink them what the state require, | |
| Where shepherds, careless, carol by the fire: | |
| Ah then, ah then, | |
| If country loves such sweet desires gain, | 15 |
| What lady would not love a shepherd swain? | |
| |
| He kisseth first, then sits as blithe to eat | |
| His cream and curd as doth the king his meat, | |
| And blither too; | |
| For kings have often fears when they sup, | 20 |
| Where shepherds dread no poison in their cup: | |
| Ah then, ah then, | |
| If country loves such sweet desires gain, | |
| What lady would not love a shepherd swain? | |
| |
| Upon his couch of straw he sleeps as sound | 25 |
| As doth the king upon his beds of down, | |
| More sounder too; | |
| For cares cause kings full oft their sleep to spill, | |
| Where weary shepherds lie and snort their fill: | |
| Ah then, ah then, | 30 |
| If country loves such sweet desires gain, | |
| What lady would not love a shepherd swain? | |
| |
| Thus with his wife he spends the year as blithe | |
| As doth the king at every tide or syth, | |
| And blither too; | 35 |
| For kings have wars and broils to take in hand, | |
| When shepherds laugh, and love upon the land; | |
| Ah then, ah then, | |
| If country loves such sweet desires gain, | |
| What lady would not love a shepherd swain? | 40 | | | |
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