Classic and Contemporary Poetry
ANSWER TO MASTER WITHER'S SONG, 'SHALL I, WASTING IN DESPAIR?', by BEN JONSON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Shall I mine affections slack Last Line: What care I, what others be? Subject(s): Love - Complaints; Wither, George (1588-1667) | ||||||||
SHALL I mine affections slack, 'Cause I see a woman's Black? Or myself, with care cast down, 'Cause I see a woman Brown? Be She blacker than the night, Or the blackest jet in sight! If She be not so to me, What care I, how Black She be? Shall my foolish heart be burst, 'Cause I see a woman's curst? Or a thwarting hoggish nature Joined in as bad a feature? Be She curst, or fiercer than Brutish beast, or savage man! If she be not so to me, What care I, how Curst She be? Shall a woman's vices make Me her vices quite forsake? Or her faults to me make known, Make me think that I have none? Be She of the most accurst, And deserve the name of worst! If She be not so to me, What care I, how Bad she be? 'Cause her fortunes seem too low, Shall I therefore let her go? He that bears an humble mind And with riches can be kind. Think how kind a heart he'd have, If he were some servile slave! And if that same mind I see, What care I, how Poor She be? Poor, or Bad, or Curst, or Black, I will ne'er the more be slack! If she hate me (then believe!) She shall die, ere I will grieve! If She like me, when I woo; I can like and love her too! If that She be fit for me! What care I, what others be? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A CELEBRATION OF CHARIS: 1. HIS EXCUSE FOR LOVING by BEN JONSON A CELEBRATION OF CHARIS: 4. HER TRIUMPH by BEN JONSON A CELEBRATION OF CHARIS: 5. HIS DISCOURSE WITH CUPID by BEN JONSON A FIT OF RHYME AGAINST RHYME [OR, RIME] by BEN JONSON A NYMPH'S PASSION by BEN JONSON A SONNET, TO THE NOBLE LADY, THE LADY MARY WROTH by BEN JONSON AN ODE TO HIMSELF by BEN JONSON EPICOENE; OR, THE SILENT WOMAN: FREEDOM IN DRESS by BEN JONSON EPIGRAM: 118. ON GUT by BEN JONSON |
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