dots-menu
×

Home  »  The Oxford Book of English Verse  »  267. To the Willow-tree

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

Robert Herrick. 1591–1674

267. To the Willow-tree

THOU art to all lost love the best, 
  The only true plant found, 
Wherewith young men and maids distrest, 
  And left of love, are crown’d. 
 
When once the lover’s rose is dead,         5
  Or laid aside forlorn: 
Then willow-garlands ’bout the head 
  Bedew’d with tears are worn. 
 
When with neglect, the lovers’ bane, 
  Poor maids rewarded be  10
For their love lost, their only gain 
  Is but a wreath from thee. 
 
And underneath thy cooling shade, 
  When weary of the light, 
The love-spent youth and love-sick maid  15
  Come to weep out the night.