Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, TO HIS WIFE WITH A KNIFE ON THE 14TH ANNIVERSARY OF HER WEDDING DAY, by SAMUEL BISHOP


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TO HIS WIFE WITH A KNIFE ON THE 14TH ANNIVERSARY OF HER WEDDING DAY, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: A knife, dear girl, cuts love they say
Last Line: Save only--'cut and come again.'
Variant Title(s): To Mary
Subject(s): Marriage; Weddings; Husbands; Wives


[WHICH HAPPENED TO BE HER BIRTHDAY AND NEW YEAR'S DAY]

A KNIFE, dear girl, cuts love, they say--
Mere modish love perhaps it may;
For any tool of any kind
Can separate what was never joined.
The knife that cuts our love in two
Will have much tougher work to do:
Must cut your softness, worth, and spirit
Down to the vulgar size of merit;
To level yours with common taste,
Must cut a world of sense to waste;
And from your single beauty's store,
Clip what would dizen out a score,
The self-same blade from me must sever
Sensation, judgement, sight--for ever!
All memory of endearments past,
All hope of comforts long to last,
All that makes fourteen years with you
A summer--and a short one too!
All that affection feels and fears,
When hours, whithout you, seem like years.
'Till that be done,--and I'd as soon
Believe this knife would clip the moon,--
Accept my present undeterred,
And leave their proverbs to the herd.
If in a kiss--delicious treat!
Your lips acknowledge the receipt;
Love, fond of such substantial fare,
And proud to play the glutton there,
All thoughts of cutting will disdain,
Save only--'cut and come again.'





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