L. Stella! the fulness of my thoughts of thee

Sir Philip Sidney (1554–1586)

STELLA! the fulness of my thoughts of thee

Cannot be stayed within my panting breast;

But they do swell and struggle forth of me

Till that in words, thy figure be exprest.

And yet as soon as they so formèd be,

According to my lord LOVE’s own behest:

With sad eyes, I their weak proportion see,

To portrait that which in this world is best.

So that I cannot choose but write my mind;

And cannot choose but put out what I write;

While these poor babes their death in birth do find.

And now my pen, these lines had dashed quite,

But that they stopt his fury from the same;

Because their forefront bare sweet STELLA’s name.