Classic and Contemporary Poetry
AFFECTION AND DESIRE, by WALTER RALEIGH Poet's Biography First Line: Conceit begotten by the eyes Last Line: To like, to love, to choose alike. Alternate Author Name(s): Ralegh, Walter Variant Title(s): A Poesy To Prove Affection Is Not Love Subject(s): Desire; Transience; Impermanence | ||||||||
Conceit begotten by the eyes Is quickly born, and quickly dies, For while it seeks our hearts to have, Meanwhile there reason makes his grave; For many things the eyes approve, Which yet the heart doth seldom love. For as the seeds in springtime sown Die in the ground ere they be grown, Such is conceit, whose rooting fails, As child that in the cradle quails, Or else within the mother's womb Hath his beginning, and his tomb. Affection follows Fortune's wheels, And soon is shaken from her heels; For following beauty or estate, Her liking still is turned to hate; For all affections have their change, And fancy only loves to range. Desire himself runs out of breath, And getting, doth but gain his death; Desire, nor reason hath, nor rest, And blind doth seldom choose the best; Desire attained is not desire, But as the cinders of the fire. As ships in ports desired are drowned, As fruit, once ripe, then falls to ground, As flies that seek for flames are brought To cinders by the flames they sought; So fond desire when it attains, The life expires, the woe remains. And yet some poets fain would prove Affection to be perfect love, And that desire is of that kind, No less a passion of the mind. As if wild beasts and men did seek To like, to love, to choose alike. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FROM THE SPANISH by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON CHAMBER MUSIC: 17 by JAMES JOYCE SOUTHERN GOTHIC by DONALD JUSTICE THE BEACH IN AUGUST by WELDON KEES THE MAN SPLITTING WOOD IN THE DAYBREAK by GALWAY KINNELL THE SEEKONK WOODS by GALWAY KINNELL A VISION UPON [THIS CONCEIT] OF THE FAERIE QUEENE (1) by WALTER RALEIGH A VISION UPON [THIS CONCEIT] OF THE FAERIE QUEENE (2) by WALTER RALEIGH |
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