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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


AMORETTI: 16 by EDMUND SPENSER

Poet Analysis

First Line: ONE DAY AS I UNWARILY DID GAZE
Last Line: YET AS IT WAS, I HARDLY SCAP'T WITH PAINE.
Subject(s): LOVE – UNREQUITED; PAIN;

One day as I unwarily did gaze
On those fayre eyes, my loves immortall light,
The whiles my stonisht hart stood in amaze,
Through sweet illusion of her lookes delight,
I mote perceive how, in her glauncing sight,
Legions of loves with little wings did fly,
Darting their deadly arrowes, fyry bright,
At every rash beholder passing by.
One of those archers closely I did spy,
Ayming his arrow at my very hart:
When suddenly, with twincle of her eye,
The damzell broke his misintended dart.

Had she not so doon, sure I had bene slayne;
Yet as it was, I hardly scap't with paine.



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