Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, PHILOMELA: NEVER TOO LATE: ISABEL'S ODE, by ROBERT GREENE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PHILOMELA: NEVER TOO LATE: ISABEL'S ODE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Sitting by a river-side
Last Line: "fie on love that hath no law!"
Subject(s): Love - Complaints; Women


SITTING by a river-side,
Where a silent stream did glide,
Bank'd about with choice flowers,
Such as spring from April-showers,
When fair Iris smiling shews
All her riches in her dews;
Thick-leav'd trees so were planted,
As nor art nor nature wanted,
Bordering all the brook with shade,
As if Venus there had made,
By Flora's wile, a curious bower,
To dally with her paramour;
At this current as I gaz'd,
Eyes entrapt, mind amaz'd,
I might see in my ken
Such a flame as fireth men,
Such a fire as doth fry
With one blaze both heart and eye,
Such a heat as doth prove
No heat like to heat of love.
Bright she was, for 'twas a she
That trac'd her steps towards me:
On her head she ware a bay,
To fence Phœbus' light away:
In her face one might descry
The curious beauty of the sky:
Her eyes carried darts of fire,
Feather'd all with swift desire;
Yet forth these fiery darts did pass
Pearlèd tears as bright as glass,
That wonder 'twas in her eyne
Fire and water should combine,
If the old saw did not borrow,
Fire is love, and water sorrow.
Down she sat, pale and sad;
No mirth in her looks she had;
Face and eyes show'd distress,
Inward sighs discours'd no less:
Head on hand might I see,
Elbow leanèd on her knee.
Last she breathèd out this saw,
"O, that love hath no law!
Love enforceth with constraint,
Love delighteth in complaint.
Whoso loves hates his life,
For love's peace is mind's strife.
Love doth feed on beauty's fare,
Every dish sauc'd with care:
Chiefly women, reason why,
Love is hatchèd in their eye;
Thence it steppeth to the heart,
There it poisoneth every part,
Mind and heart, eye and thought,
Till sweet love their woes hath wrought:
Then repentant they gin cry,
'O my heart that trow'd mine eye!'"
Thus she said, and then she rose,
Face and mind both full of woes;
Flinging thence with this saw,—
"Fie on love that hath no law!"





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