A Warning for Wooers

Some love for wealth and some for hue,
And none of both these loves are true;
For when the mill hath lost her sailes,
Then must the miller lose his vailes:
Of grass comes hay,
And flowers faire will soon decay:
Of ripe comes rotten,
In age all beautie is forgotten.

Some love too high and some too lowe,
And of them both great griefs do growe;
And some do love the common sort,
And common folk use common sport.
Look not too high,
Lest that a chip fall in thine eye:
But high or lowe,

Love's Potencie

If men were fashioned of the stone,
Then might they never yield to love —
But fashioned as they are, they owne
(On earth, as in the realme above,)
That Beauty, in perfection stil
Controls the thoughts, impels the wil.

And sure 'twere vaine to stemme the tide
Of passion surging in the breast —
Since fierce ambition, stubborn pryde
Have each the sovereigne power confest;
Which rolleth on, despite al staie,
Sweeping ilk prudent shifte awaye.

What though the mayden that we love

Love-Lorn Knight And The Damsel Pitiless

" UPLIFT the Gonfanons of war — exalt the ruddy Rood —
Arise ye winds and bear me on against the Paynim brood!
Farewell to forest-cinctured halls, farewell to song and glee,
For toilsome march and clash of swords in glorious Galilee!
And grace to thee, haught damoisel — I ask no parting tear —
Another love may greet thee when I'm laid upon my bier!

" My bark upon the foaming flood shall bound before the gale,
Like arrow in its flight, until the Holy Land we hail;
Then firmly shall our anchors grasp the belt of Eastern land,

Happy Love

O L IFE'S ringing morn! O season divine!
What though thou art vanished, we shall not repine,
We yesterday loved, and to-day 'tis the same,
And to-morrow we'll love with unchangeable flame.

Once, a troop of wild Burschen, so frolic and gay,
We went to the village to welcome the May;
To each door came the maidens, all laughing, to see;
Then, darling, thou laughed, but in secret on me.

At the May-feast, thou gavest — O moment of bliss! —
Thy hand to my pressure, thy lip to my kiss;

Ah! Love Ye One Another Well!

Ah ! love ye one another well,
For the hour will come
When one of you is lying dumb;
Ye would give worlds then for a word,
That never may be heard;
Ye would give worlds then for a glance,
That may be yours by ne'er a chance;
Ah! love ye one another well!

For if ye wrung a tear,
Like molten iron it will sear;
The look that proved you were unkind
With hot remorse will be blind;
And though you pray to be forgiven,
How will ye know that ye are shriven?
Ah! love ye one another well!

Could Love Impart

COULD love impart,
By nicest art,
To speechless rocks a tongue, —
Their theme would be,
Beloved, of thee, —
Thy beauty, all their song.

And, clerklike, then,
With sweet amen,
Would echo from each hollow
Reply all day;
While gentle fay,
With merry whoop, would follow.

Had roses sense,
On no pretence
Would they their buds unroll;
For, could they speak,
'Twas from thy cheek

Love and Earth's Echoes

FIRST LOVER

Love that is spoken often dies,
Quick as the light in evening skies,
Or as a song upon the ear,
And leaves no answering spirit near:
Wilt thou be true? Shall I ne'er rue
My plighted faith? Wilt thou be true?

ECHO

Wilt thou be true?

SECOND LOVER

That doubt, O maiden, do not name!
Changeless as yon eternal flame
My spirit evermore shall be

Song

I AM so desolate, —
Genius sighs —
Come, Love, and be my mate,
Give me thine eyes.

I am aweary,
Love, give me rest;
Leave me not dreary,
Give me thy breast.

The lark looks to heaven,
The flower to the sun;
But my heart is sore riven
For thy beauty, sweet one.

Give me thy presence,
My life to enfold;
Then care and sorrow hence,
That life shalt thou hold.

A Meditation

My life is but a study how to die.
Since there seems nought of worth in life on earth,
I'll school my spirit for eternity,
And study how from death to gain new birth.
I am in love with that which leads from hence
Because it points to all our minds desire,
When, rapt in contemplation, mortal sense,
And sin and error like a dream expire.
O heaven! the fountain-head of every grace,
Where wisdom, justice, beauty, power, and love
Have made their everlasting resting-place,
Teach now my better part to dwell above

The Bloom Hath Fled Thy Cheek, Mary

The bloom hath fled thy cheek, Mary,
As spring's rath blossoms die,
And sadness hath o'ershadowed quite
Thy once bright eye;
But, look on me, the prints of grief
Still deeper lie.
Farewell!

Thy lips are pale and mute, Mary,
Thy step is sad and slow,
The morn of gladness hath gone by
Thou erst didst know;
I, too, am changed like thee, and weep
For very woe.
Farewell!

It seems as 'twere but yesterday
We were the happiest twain,
When murmured sighs and joyous tears,

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