WHAT thing is Love? It is a power divine That reigns in us, or else a wreakful law That dooms our minds to beauty to incline: It is a star whose influence doth draw Our hearts to Love, dissembling of his might Till he be master of our hearts and sight. Love is a discord, and a strange divorce Betwixt our sense and reason, by whose power, As mad with reason, we admit that force Which wit or labour never may devour: It is a will that brooketh no consent; It would refuse, yet never may repent. Love's a desire which, for to wait a time, Doth lose an age of years, and so doth pass, As doth the shadow, sever'd from his prime, Seeming as though it were, yet never was; Leaving behind nought but repentant thoughts Of days ill-spent, for that which profits noughts. It's now a peace, and then a sudden war; A hope consum'd before it is conceiv'd; At hand it fears, and menaceth afar; And he that gains is most of all deceiv'd: It is a secret hidden and not known, Which one may better feel than write upon. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A FINE DAY by KATHERINE MANSFIELD A CHANNEL PASSAGE by RUPERT BROOKE THE SMILING MOUTH by CHARLES D'ORLEANS TO ELIZABETH, COUNTESS OF RUTLAND by BEN JONSON POOR [OR, COCK] ROBIN by MOTHER GOOSE BRONZE TRUMPETS AND SEA WATER; ON TURNING LATIN VERSE INTO ENGLISH by ELINOR WYLIE |