THAT century to century may tell The perfect love Ronsard once bore to you, How he was reason-reft for love of you And thought it freedom in your chains to dwell; That age on age posterity full well May know my veins were filled with beauty of you And that my heart's one wish was only you, I bring for gift to you this immortelle. Long will it live in freshness of its prime. And you shall live, through me, long after death -- So can the well-skilled lover conquer Time, Who loving you all virtue followeth. Like Laura, you shall live the cynosure Of earth, so long as pens and books endure. |