XII MORNING TEARS So sweet a kiss the golden sun gives not To those fresh morning drops upon the rose, As thy eye-beams, when their fresh rays have smote The night of dew that on my cheeks down flows: Nor shines the silver moon one half so bright Through the transparent bosom of the deep, As doth thy face through tears of mine give light; Thou shinest in every tear that I do weep: No drop but as a coach doth carry thee; But do not love thyself; then thou wilt keep XIII PRAISE OF THE MISTRESS IF love make me forsworn, how shall I swear to love? Ah, never faith could hold, if not to beauty vow'd! Though to myself forsworn, to thee I'll faithful prove; Those thoughts to me were oaks, to thee like osiers bow'd. Study his bias leaves and makes his book thine eyes, Where all those pleasures live that art would comprehend: If knowledge be the mark, to know thee shall suffice; Well learned is that tongue that well can thee commend, All ignorant that soul that sees thee without wonder; Which is to me some praise that I thy parts admire. Thy eye Jove's lightning bears, thy voice his dreadful thunder, Which, not to anger bent, is music and sweet fire. Celestial as thou art, O pardon, Love, this wrong, That sings heaven's praise with such an earthly tongue! XIV LOVE THE ONLY STUDENT STUDY me how to please the eye indeed By fixing it upon a fairer eye, Who dazzling so, that eye shall be his heed, Study is like the heaven's glorious sun That will not be deep-search'd with saucy looks : Small have continual plodders ever won Save base authority from others' books. These earthly godfathers of heaven's lights Than those that walk and wot not what they are. Too much to know is to know nought but fame, XV DI THE PERJURIES OF LOVE ID not the heavenly rhetoric of thine eye, Persuade my heart to this false perjury? Vows for thee broke deserve not punishment. A woman I forswore; but I will prove, Thou being a goddess, I forswore not thee: My vow was earthly, thou a heavenly love; Thy grace being gain'd cures all disgrace in me. Vows are but breath, and breath a vapour is: Then thou, fair Sun, which on my earth dost shine, Exhalest this vapour-vow; in thee it is: If broken, then, it is no fault of mine: If by me broke, what fool is not so wise |