Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE DUEL, by RICHARD LOVELACE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE DUEL, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Love, drunk the other day, knock'd at my breast
Last Line: Is to laugh at the boy, and he will cry.


LOVE, drunk the other day, knock'd at my breast,
But I, alas! was not within:
My man, my ear, told me he came t' attest
That without cause h' had boxed him,
And battered the windows of mine eyes,
And took my heart for one of's nunneries.

I wond'red at the outrage safe return'd,
And stormed at the base affront;
And by a friend of mine, bold Faith, that burn'd,
I call'd him to a strict accompt.
He said that, by the law, the challeng'd might
Take the advantage both of arms and fight.

Two darts of equal length and points he sent,
And nobly gave the choice to me;
Which I not weigh'd, young and indifferent,
Now full of naught but victory.
So we both met in one of 's mother's groves,
The time, at the first murm'ring of her doves.

I stripp'd myself naked all o'er, as he,
For so I was best arm'd, when bare;
His first pass did my liver rase, yet I
Made home a falsify too near,
For when my arm to its true distance came,
I nothing touch'd but a fantastic flame.

This, this is Love we daily quarrel so,
An idle Don-Quixotery:
We whip ourselves with our own twisted woe,
And wound the air for a fly.
The only way t' undo this enemy
Is to laugh at the boy, and he will cry.





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