You earthly Souls that court a wanton flame, Whose pale weak influence Can rise no higher then the humble name And narrow laws of Sence, Learn by our friendship to create An immaterial fire, Whose brightnesse Angels may admire, But cannot emulate. Sicknesse may fright the roses from her cheek, Or make the Lilies fade, But all the subtile wayes that death doth seek Cannot my love invade: Flames that are kindled by the eye, Through time and age expire; But ours that boast a reach far higher Can nor decay, nor die. For when we must resign our vital breath, Our Loves by Fate benighted, We by this friendship shall survive in death, Even in divorce united. Weak Love through fortune or distrust In time forgets to burn, But this pursues us to the Urn, And marries either's Dust. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...BABY'S SHOES by WILLIAM COX BENNETT NEW YEAR'S EVE by THOMAS HARDY SONNET: 64 by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE FLOWER AND THORN by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH THE SCHOOLROOM OF POETS by WILLIAM ROSE BENET BLACKSMITH PAIN by OTTO JULIUS BIERBAUM |