Sonnet LXXIV. Cease, over-tired Muses! to complain!

Barnabe Barnes (1569?–1609)

CEASE, over-tired Muses! to complain!

In vain, thou pours out words! in vain, thy tears!

In vain, thou writes thy verses! all in vain!

For to the rocks and wall, which never hears,

Thou speakes! and sendes complaints, which find no grace!

But why compare I thee to rocks, and walls?

Yes, thou descendes from stones and rocks, by race!

But rocks will answer to the latter calls.

Yea, rocks will speak each sentence’s last word,

And in each syllable of that word agree;

But thou, nor last, nor first, wilt me afford!

Hath Pride, or Nature, bred this fault in thee?

Nature and Pride have wrought in thee these evils:

For women are, by Nature, proud as devils!