T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
Break of Day
By John Donne (15721631)STAY, O sweet, and do not rise; | |
The light that shines comes from thine eyes; | |
The day breaks not, it is my heart, | |
Because that you and I must part. | |
Stay, or else my joys will die | 5 |
And perish in this infancy. | |
(Another of the same) ’TIS true, ’tis day; what though it be? | |
O, wilt thou therefore rise from me? | |
Why should we rise because ’tis light? | |
Did we lie down because ’twas night? | 10 |
Love, which in spite of darkness brought us hither, | |
Should in despite of light keep us together. | |
Light hath no tongue, but is all eye; | |
If it could speak as well as spy. | |
This were the worst that it could say, | 15 |
That being well I fain would stay, | |
And that I loved my heart and honour so, | |
That I would not from him, that had them, go. | |
Must business thee from hence remove? | |
O! that’s the worst disease of love, | 20 |
The poor, the foul, the false, love can | |
Admit, but not the busied man. | |
He which hath business, and makes love, doth do | |
Such wrong, as when a married man doth woo. | |