Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, AWAKE, SWEET LOVE, by JOHN DOWLAND


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

AWAKE, SWEET LOVE, by                     Poet's Biography
Last Line: To make thy joys more sweet.
Subject(s): Love


AWAKE, sweet Love, thou art returned,
My heart which long in absence mourned,
Lives now in perfect joy:
Let love which never absent dies,
Now live for ever in her eyes,
Whence came my first annoy.
Only herself hath seemed fair,
She only I could love,
She only drove me to despair,
When she unkind did prove.
Despair did make me wish to die,
That I my griefs might end,
She only which did make me fly,
My state may now amend.

If she esteem thee now aught worth,
She will not grieve thy love, henceforth.
Which so despair hath proved:
Despair hath provèd now in me,
That love will not inconstant be,
Though long in vain I loved.
If she at last reward thy love,
And all thy harms repair,
Thy happiness will sweeter prove,
Raised up from deep despair.
And if that now thou welcome be,
When thou with her dost meet,
She all this while but played with thee,
To make thy joys more sweet.





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