Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, FREEDOM AND LOVE, by THOMAS CAMPBELL


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

FREEDOM AND LOVE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: How delicious is the winning
Last Line: In the knot there's no untying.
Variant Title(s): The First Kiss
Subject(s): Love - Beginnings


HOW delicious is the winning
Of a kiss at love's beginning.
When two mutual hearts are sighing
For the knot there's no untying!
Yet remember, midst your wooing,
Love has bliss, but love has ruing;
Other smiles may make you fickle,
Tears for other charms may trickle.
Love he comes, Love he tarries,
Just as fate or fancy carries, --
Longest stays when sorest chidden,
Laughs and flies when pressed and bidden.
Bind the sea to slumber stilly,
Bind its odor to the lily,
Bind the aspen ne'er to quiver, --
Then bind Love to last forever!
Love's a fire that needs renewal
Of fresh beauty for its fuel;
Love's wing moults when caged and captured, --
Only free he soars enraptured.
Can you keep the bee from ranging,
Or the ring-dove's neck from changing?
No! nor fettered Love from dying
In the knot there's no untying.




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