Classic Poem

IN INVERTED RHYMES, BETWEEN THE TWO FRIENDLY RIVALS, STREPHON AND KLAIUS, IN THE PRESENCE OF URANIA, MISTRESS TO THEM BOTH . STREPHON .

O whither shall I turn me
From thine eyes' sight,
Whose sparkling light
With quenchless flames, present and absent, burn me?
For I burn when as I view them,
And I burn when I eschew them. KLAIUS .

Since I cannot eschew them,
But that their light
Is in my sight,
Both when I view them not, and when I view them;
Ere their flames will cease to burn me,
From myself, myself must turn me. STREPH .

When none are present by you,
I feel their might;
And your eyes bright
Appear more glorious, others being nigh you:
So alone, or else compared,
Wretch, I am by them ensnared. KLAIUS .

Since that I am ensnared
By your eyes bright,
And feel their might,
Whether alone they be, or else compared;
Wheresoever I am nigh you,
Love I must, if I be by you. STREPH .

When you look kindly on me,
They love incite;
And, spite of spite,
I love them likewise when you frown upon me:
So, howe'er your looks are framed,
By your looks I am inflamed. KLAIUS .

Since that I am inflamed
Even by their spite,
And they incite
Soul-warming flames when they are mildly framed;
Howsoe'er you look upon me,
Love I must, if you look on me. STREPH.

Oh! when shall I them banish,
Since against right,
Nor day nor night,
Though absent from me, from me they do vanish?
So no respite time doth grant me,
But incessantly they haunt me. KLAIUS.

Since they, alas! do haunt me
Both day and night,
And wonted right,
Obtained by absence, absence doth not grant me;
Night and day may sooner vanish,
Than from me I can them banish. STREPH.

They, when the day doth leave me,
Lodge in my sprite;
And of their sight,
No sight by day discerned can bereave me
So, nor day aught else revealeth,
Nor the night the same concealeth. KLAIUS.

Since day, like night concealeth
Each other sight,
And to my sprite
Concealing darkness them like day, revealeth;
Time of time must quite bereave me,
Ere your looks' sweet looks will leave me.