Classic and Contemporary Poetry
CYNTHIADES: TO CYNTHIA ON A KISS, by FRANCIS KYNASTON Poet's Biography First Line: Being thy servant, cynthia, 'tis my duty Last Line: By giving kisses wax, or dry, or pale. Subject(s): Kisses; Love | ||||||||
BEING thy servant, Cynthia, 'tis my duty To make thy name as glorious as thy beauty. Of which things may be writ far more and high, Than are of stars in all astronomy, Nay, natural philosophy, that contains Each thing that in the Universe remains; Nor more, nor such materials affords, Could we for the expression find but words. But surely of thy kindness I'm afraid, Or bounty, very little can be said: A page in decimo sexto will suffice For them, which if one should epitomise Like an arithmetician, that hath wrought, And hath a unit to a cipher brought, He certainly no other thing should do Than cleave a geometrical point in two. Thy bounty on a half-penny may be set, And they that serve thee, sure do nothing get: For when thy faithful servant's wages is No more from thee than quarterly a kiss, Penurious thou unjustly dost detain His salary so long, that he is fain, (Because thou dost thy lips so strictly keep) To take it from thee when thou art asleep: And if that thou art waking, by some slight Or stratagem he must come by his right: There is no justice, where there's no way left To get our own, but violence, or theft: And therefore, Cynthia, as a turquois[e] bought, Or stol'n, or found, is virtueless, and nought, It must be freely given by a friend, Whose love and bounty doth such virtue lend, As makes it to compassionate, and tell By looking pale, the wearer is not well. So one kiss given shall content me more, Than if that I had taken half a score: Thy ruby lips, like turquoises, ne'er shall By giving kisses wax, or dry, or pale. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE INVENTION OF LOVE by MATTHEA HARVEY TWO VIEWS OF BUSON by ROBERT HASS A LOVE FOR FOUR VOICES: HOMAGE TO FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN by ANTHONY HECHT AN OFFERING FOR PATRICIA by ANTHONY HECHT LATE AFTERNOON: THE ONSLAUGHT OF LOVE by ANTHONY HECHT A SWEETENING ALL AROUND ME AS IT FALLS by JANE HIRSHFIELD CYNTHIADES: TO CYNTHIA ON CONCEALMENT OF HER BEAUTY by FRANCIS KYNASTON |
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