Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
Michael Drayton. 15631631117. The Parting
SINCE there ‘s no help, come let us kiss and part— | |
Nay, I have done, you get no more of me; | |
And I am glad, yea, glad with all my heart, | |
That thus so cleanly I myself can free. | |
Shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows, | 5 |
And when we meet at any time again, | |
Be it not seen in either of our brows | |
That we one jot of former love retain. | |
Now at the last gasp of Love’s latest breath, | |
When, his pulse failing, Passion speechless lies, | 10 |
When Faith is kneeling by his bed of death, | |
And Innocence is closing up his eyes, | |
—Now if thou wouldst, when all have given him over, | |
From death to life thou might’st him yet recover. |