SONG. Go and catch a falling star, Or who cleft the Devil's foot; What wind Serves to advance an honest mind. If thou be'st born to strange sights, Ride ten thousand days and nights No where Lives a woman true and fair. If thou find'st one let me know, Though at next door we might meet; Though she were true when you met her, And last, when you wrote your letter, Yet she Will be False, ere I come, to two or three. VOL. I. A VALEDICTION FORBIDDING MOURNING. As virtuous men pass mildly away, Whilst some of their sad friends do say, So let us meet and make no noise, fo tell the laity our love. Moving of th' Earth brings harm and fears, Men reckon what it did and meant; But trepidation of the spheres, Though greater far, is innocent. Dull sublunary lovers' love, But we by a love so far refin'd, Careless eyes, lips, and hands, to miss; Our two souls therefore, which are one, If they be two, they are two so And though it in the centre sit, It leans and hearkens after it, And grows erect as that comes home, Such wilt thou be to me, who must SONG. Sweetest love, I do not go Nor in hope the world can show But since that I Must die at last, 'tis best Yesternight the Sun went hence, He hath no desire nor sense, Then fear not me, But believe that I shall make O how feeble is man's power, But come bad chance, And we join to 't our strength, And we teach it art and length, Itsel. o'er us t' advance. When thou sigh'st thou sigh'st not wind, But sigh'st my soul away; When thou weep'st unkindly kind, My lie's blood doth decay. It cannot be That thou lov'st me, as thou say'st; Thou art the life of me. Let not thy divining heart Are but laid aside to sleep: FROM 'VERSES TO SIR HENRY WOOTTON.' Be then thine own home, and in thyself dwell; Be thine own palace, or the world' thy jail. Fishes glide, leaving no print where they pass, Say o'er those lessons which I learn'd of you: Having from these suck'd all they had of worth To know my rules, I have, and you have, Donne. THE WILL. Before I sigh my last gasp, let me breathe, Thou, Love, hast taught me heretofore By making me serve her who had twenty more, That I should give to none, but such as had too much before My constancy I to the planets give, My truth to them who at the court do live ; To Jesuits; to buffoons my pensiveness; Thou, Love, taught'st me, by appointing me My faith I give to Roman Catholics; My modesty I give to shoulders bare ; My patience let gamesters share. Thou, Love, taught'st me, by making me Love her that holds my love disparity, Only to give to those that count my gifts indignity. I give my reputation to those Which were my friends; my industry to foes; My sickness to physicians, or excess; |