Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


ABSENCE by JOHN HOSKINS

First Line: ABSENCE, HEAR THOU MY PROTESTATION
Last Line: AND SO ENJOYE HER, AND SO MISSE HER.
Subject(s): ABSENCE; SEPARATION; ISOLATION;

That time and absence proves
Rather helps than hurts to loves.

Absence heare my protestation
Against thy strengthe
Distance and lengthe,
Doe what thou canst for alteration:
For harts of truest mettall
Absence doth joyne, and time doth settle.

Who loves a Mistris of right quality,
His mind hath founde
Affections grounde
Beyond time, place, and all mortality:
To harts that cannot vary
Absence is present, time doth tary:

My Sences want their outward motion
Which now within
Reason doth win,
Redoubled by her secret notion:
Like rich men that take pleasure
In hidinge more then handling treasure.

By absence this good means I gaine
That I can catch her
Where none can watch her
In some close corner of my braine:
There I embrace and there kiss her,
And so enjoye her, and so misse her.



Home: PoetryExplorer.net