Classic and Contemporary Poetry
SONG: 53, by THOMAS WYATT Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Alas, the grief and deadly woful smart Last Line: To whomsoever lust for to proffer most. Alternate Author Name(s): Wyat, Thomas Subject(s): Grief; Sorrow; Sadness | ||||||||
Alas the grief, and deadly woful smart, The carefull chance shapen afore my shert, The sorrowful tears, the sighs hot as fire, That cruel love hath long soked from my heart! And for reward of over great desire Disdainful doubleness have I for my hire. O lost service, O pain ill rewarded, O pitiful heart with pain enlarged, O faithful mind too suddenly assented, Return alas, sithens thou art not regarded. Too great a proof of true faith presented Causeth by right such faith to be repented. O cruel causer of undeserved change, By great desire unconstantly to range, Is this your way for proof of steadfastness? Perdie you know (the thing was not so strange) By former proof too much my faithfulness! What needeth then such coloured doubleness? I have wailed thus, weeping in nightly pain, In sobs and sighs, alas, and all in vain, In inward plaint and heart's woful torment. And yet, alas, lo, cruelty and disdain Have set at nought a faithful true intent, And price hath privilege truth to prevent. But though I starve, and to my death still mourn, And piecemeal in pieces though I be torn, And though I die, yielding my wearied ghost, Shall never thing again make me return. I quit [pursuit] of that that I have lost, To whomsoever lust for to proffer most. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SONOMA FIRE by JANE HIRSHFIELD AS THE SPARKS FLY UPWARDS by JOHN HOLLANDER WHAT GREAT GRIEF HAS MADE THE EMPRESS MUTE by JUNE JORDAN CHAMBER MUSIC: 19 by JAMES JOYCE |
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