Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
John Donne. 15731631197. That Time and Absence proves Rather helps than hurts to loves
ABSENCE, hear thou my protestation | |
Against thy strength, | |
Distance and length: | |
Do what thou canst for alteration, | |
For hearts of truest mettle | 5 |
Absence doth join and Time doth settle. | |
Who loves a mistress of such quality, | |
His mind hath found | |
Affection’s ground | |
Beyond time, place, and all mortality. | 10 |
To hearts that cannot vary | |
Absence is present, Time doth tarry. | |
My senses want their outward motion | |
Which now within | |
Reason doth win, | 15 |
Redoubled by her secret notion: | |
Like rich men that take pleasure | |
In hiding more than handling treasure. | |
By Absence this good means I gain, | |
That I can catch her | 20 |
Where none can watch her, | |
In some close corner of my brain: | |
There I embrace and kiss her, | |
And so enjoy her and none miss her. |