Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
William Shakespeare. 15641616124. The Blossom
ON a day—alack the day!— | |
Love, whose month is ever May, | |
Spied a blossom passing fair | |
Playing in the wanton air: | |
Through the velvet leaves the wind | 5 |
All unseen ‘gan passage find; | |
That the lover, sick to death, | |
Wish’d himself the heaven’s breath. | |
Air, quoth he, thy cheeks may blow; | |
Air, would I might triumph so! | 10 |
But, alack, my hand is sworn | |
Ne’er to pluck thee from thy thorn: | |
Vow, alack, for youth unmeet; | |
Youth so apt to pluck a sweet! | |
Do not call it sin in me | 15 |
That I am forsworn for thee; | |
Thou for whom e’en Jove would swear | |
Juno but an Ethiop were; | |
And deny himself for Jove, | |
Turning mortal for thy love. | 20 |