Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
Thomas Campion. 1567?1619174. Winter Nights
NOW winter nights enlarge | |
The number of their hours, | |
And clouds their storms discharge | |
Upon the airy towers. | |
Let now the chimneys blaze | 5 |
And cups o’erflow with wine; | |
Let well-tuned words amaze | |
With harmony divine. | |
Now yellow waxen lights | |
Shall wait on honey love, | 10 |
While youthful revels, masques, and courtly sights | |
Sleep’s leaden spells remove. | |
This time doth well dispense | |
With lovers’ long discourse; | |
Much speech hath some defence, | 15 |
Though beauty no remorse. | |
All do not all things well; | |
Some measures comely tread, | |
Some knotted riddles tell, | |
Some poems smoothly read. | 20 |
The summer hath his joys, | |
And winter his delights; | |
Though love and all his pleasures are but toys, | |
They shorten tedious nights. |