DOWN a down, Thus Phyllis sung, By fancy once distressed: Whoso by foolish Love are stung Are worthily oppressed, And so sing I, with down a down. When Love was first begot, And by the mother's will, Did fall to human lot, His solace to fulfil, Devoid of all deceit, A chaste and holy fire, Did quicken man's conceit, And women's breasts inspire. The gods that saw the good, That mortals did approve, With kind and holy mood Began to talk of Love. Down a down, Thus Phyllis sung By fancy once distressed. But during this accord, A wonder strange to hear, Whilst Love in deed and word, Most faithful did appear; False semblance came in place, By jealousy attended: And with a double face, Both love and fancy blended, Which made the gods forsake, And men from fancy fly: And maidens scorn a make, Forsooth, and so will I. Down a down, Thus Phyllis sung, By fancy once distressed: Whoso by foolish Love are stung, Are worthily oppressed. And so sing I, with down a down. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A LETTER ON THE USE OF MACHINE GUNS AT WEDDINGS by KENNETH PATCHEN A PSALM OF TRAVEL by GEORGE SANTAYANA PORPHYRIA'S LOVER by ROBERT BROWNING BROTHER AND SISTER by MARY ANN EVANS FOR THE INAUGURATION OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL, CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY by WALT WHITMAN EMBLEMS OF LOVE: 34. TRUE LOVE KNOWS BUT ONE by PHILIP AYRES |