Poetry

"Love, as is told by the seers of old, Comes as a butterfly tipped with gold, Flutters and flies in sunlit skies, Weaving round hearts that were one time cold."

"If love were what the rose is, And I were like the leaf, Our lives would grow together In sad or singing weather."

"O Love, O great god Love, what have I done, That thou shouldst hunger so after my death? My heart is harmless as my life's first day: Seek out some false fair woman, and plague her Till her tears even as my tears fill her bed."

"In all I wish, how happy should I be, Thou grand Deluder, were it not for thee? So weak thou art that fools thy power despise; And yet so strong, thou triumph'st o'er the wise."

"And my heart springs up anew, Bright and confident and true, And the old love comes to meet me, in the dawning and the dew."

"Just like Love is yonder rose, Heavenly fragrance round it throws, Yet tears its dewy leaves disclose, And in the midst of briars it blows Just like Love."

"Love laid his sleepless head On a thorny rose bed: And his eyes with tears were red, And pale his lips as the dead."

"Why so pale and wan, fond lover, Prithee, why so pale? Will, when looking well can't move her, Looking ill prevail? Prithee, why so pale?"

"They sin who tell us Love can die: With life all other passions fly, All others are but vanity, In Heaven Ambition cannot dwell, Nor Avarice in the vaults of Hell."

"To be wise and eke to love, Is granted scarce to gods above."

"Sweetheart, when you walk my way, Be it dark or be it day; Dreary winter, fairy May, I shall know and greet you. For each day of grief or grace Brings you nearer my embrace; Love hath fashioned your dear face, I shall know you when I meet you."

"And when my own Mark Antony Against young Cæsar strove, And Rome's whole world was set in arms, The cause was,—all for love."

"I that have love and no more Give you but love of you, sweet; He that hath more, let him give; He that hath wings, let him soar; Mine is the heart at your feet Here, that must love you to live."

"Thy fatal shafts unerring move; I bow before thine altar, Love!"

"Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickle's compass come; Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom. If this be error and upon me prov'd, I never writ, nor no man ever lov'd."

"I who all the Winter through, Cherished other loves than you And kept hands with hoary policy in marriage-bed and pew; Now I know the false and true, For the earnest sun looks through, And my old love comes to meet me in the dawning and the dew."

": I have enjoyed earthly happiness, I have lived and loved."

"Mortals, while through the world you go, Hope may succor and faith befriend, Yet happy your hearts if you can but know, Love awaits at the journey's end!"

"In peace, Love tunes the shepherd's reed; In war, he mounts the warrior's steed; In halls, in gay attire is seen; In hamlets, dances on the green. Love rules the court, the camp, the grove, And men below, and saints above; For love is heaven, and heaven is love."

"Ich habe genossen das irdische Glück, Ich habe gelebt und geliebt."

"Ah, to that far distant strand Bridge there was not to convey, Not a bark was near at hand, Yet true love soon found the way."

"O dass sie ewig grünen bliebe, Die schöne Zeit der jungen Liebe."

"Her blue eyes sought the west afar, For lovers love the western star."

": O that it might remain eternally green, The beautiful time of youthful love."

"Trust thou thy Love: if she be proud, is she not sweet? Trust thou thy love: if she be mute, is she not pure? Lay thou thy soul full in her hands, low at her feet— Fail, Sun and Breath!—yet, for thy peace, she shall endure."

"Where shall the lover rest, Whom the fates sever From his true maiden's breast, Parted for ever? Where, through groves deep and high, Sounds the far billow, Where early violets die, Under the willow."

"When gloaming treads the heels of day And birds sit cowering on the spray, Along the flowery hedge I stray, To meet mine ain dear somebody."

"At first, she loved nought else but flowers, And then—she only loved the rose; And then—herself alone; and then— She knew not what, but now—she knows."

"My true-love hath my heart, and I have his, By just exchange, one for the other given; I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss, There never was a better bargain driven."

"Love, free as air, at sight of human ties, Spreads his light wings, and in a moment flies."

"Ye gods, annihilate but space and time, And make two lovers happy."

"O Love! for Sylvia let me gain the prize, And make my tongue victorious as her eyes."

"Is it, in Heav'n, a crime to love too well? To bear too tender or too firm a heart, To act a lover's or a Roman's part? Is there no bright reversion in the sky For those who greatly think, or bravely die?"

"Divine is Love and scorneth worldly pelf, And can be bought with nothing but with self."

": Love is a credulous thing."

"Qui finem quæris amoris, (Cedit amor rebus) res age; tutus eris."

"Ah! what avails it me the flocks to keep, Who lost my heart while I preserv'd my sheep."

": It is not safe to despise what Love commands. He reigns supreme, and rules the mighty gods."

"Hei mihi! quod nullis amor est medicabilis herbis."

": Majesty and love do not well agree, nor do they live together."

": Ah me! love can not be cured by herbs."

": If thou wishest to put an end to love, attend to business (love yields to employment); then thou wilt be safe."

"Non bene conveniunt, nec in una sede morantur, Majestas et amor."

"Credula res amor est."

"If all the world and love were young, And truth in every shepherd's tongue, These pretty pleasures might me move To live with thee, and be thy love."

"I've wandered east, I've wandered west, I've bourne a weary lot; But in my wanderings far or near Ye never were forgot. The fount that first burst frae this heart Still travels on its way And channels deeper as it rins The luve o' life's young day."

"Duty's a slave that keeps the keys, But Love, the master goes in and out Of his goodly chambers with song and shout, Just as he please—just as he please."

"Res est soliciti plena timoris amor."

"Tell me, what's Love;" said Youth, one day, To drooping Age, who crost his way.— "It is a sunny hour of play; For which repentance dear doth pay; Repentance! Repentance! And this is Love, as wise men say."

"No, the heart that has truly loved never forgets, But as truly loves on to the close, As the sunflower turns on her god, when he sets, The same look which she turn'd when he rose."