WHO, THIS DARK NIGHT What if you new beauties see! But your reason's purest light But the wrongs love bears will make Peace, I think that some give ear; Well, be gone; be gone, I say, Which can make me thus to leave you, Your Bells Ring out your belis, let mourning shows be spread; For Love is dead. All love is dead, infected With plague of deep disdain; From them that use men thus, Weep, neighbours, weep, dc you not hear it said That Love is dead? His deathbed, peacock's folly; RING OUT YOUR BELLS Let dirge be sung, and trentals rightly read, For Love is dead. Sir Wrong his tomb ordaineth, Alas! I lie; rage hath this error bred, Love is not dead, but sleepeth Therefore from so vile fancy, I Thou blind man's mark, thou fool's selfchosen snare, Fond fancy's scum, and dregs of scattered thought; Band of all evils, cradle of causeless care, Thou web of will, whose end is never wrought; Desire, Desire, I have too dearly bought, With prize of mangled mind, thy worthless ware; Too long, too long asleep thou hast me brought, Who should my mind to higher things In vain thou kindlest all thy smoky fire; For virtue hath this better lesson taught: Within myself to seek my only hire, Desiring nought, but how to kill Desire. THE EPILOGUE II Leave me, O Love, which reachest but to dust; And thou, my mind, aspire to higher things; Grow rich in that which never taketh rust; Whatever fades, but fading pleasure brings. Draw in thy beams, and humble all thy might To that sweet yoke where lasting freedoms be; Which breaks the clouds, and opens forth the light, That doth both shine and give us sight to see. O take fast hold; let that light be thy guide In this small course which birth brings out to death; And think how evil becometh him to slide, Who seeketh heaven, and comes of heavenly breath. Then farewell, world; thy uttermost I see: Eternal Love, maintain thy life in me. |