VALIANT LOVE by RICHARD LOVELACE

Now fie upon that everlasting life I die!
She hates! Ah me! It makes me mad;
As if Love fir'd his torch at a moist eye,
Or with his joys e'er crown'd the sad!
Oh let me live and shout, when I fall on!
Let me ev'n triumph in the first attempt!
Love's duellist from conquest's not exempt,
When his fair murd'ress shall not gain one groan,
And he expire ev'n in ovation.

Let me make my approach, when I lie down
With counter-wrought and traverse eyes;
With peals of confidence batter the town:
Had ever beggar yet the keys?
No, I will vary storms with sun and wind;
Be rough, and offer calm condition,
March in, and pray't, or starve the garrison.
Let her make sallies hourly, yet I'll find,
Though all beat off, she's to be undermin'd.

Then may it please Your Little Excellence
Of Hearts t' ordain, by sound of lips,
That henceforth none in tears dare love commence
(Her thoughts i' th' full, his in th' eclipse),
On pain of having's lance broke on her bed,
That he be branded all free beauties' slave,
And his own hollow eyes be doom'd his grave:
Since in your host that coward ne'er was fed,
Who to his prostrate e'er was prostrated.

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...